-based - The Dictionary

base 1 (b?s)n.1. The lowest or bottom part: the base of a cliff; the base of a lamp.2. Biology a. The part of a plant or animal organ that is nearest to its point of attachment.b. The point of attachment of such an organ.3. a. A supporting part or layer; a foundation: a skyscraper built on a base of solid rock.b. A basic or underlying element; infrastructure: the nation’s industrial base.4. The fundamental principle or underlying concept of a system or theory; a basis.5. A fundamental ingredient; a chief constituent: a paint with an oil base.6. The fact, observation, or premise from which a reasoning process is begun.7. a. Games A starting point, safety area, or goal.b. Baseball Any one of the four corners of an infield, marked by a bag or plate, that must be touched by a runner before a run can be scored.8. a. A center of organization, supply, or activity; a headquarters.b. The portion of a social organization, especially a political party, consisting of the most dedicated or motivated members.9. a. A fortified center of operations.b. A supply center for a large force of military personnel.10. A facial cosmetic used to even out the complexion or provide a surface for other makeup; a foundation.11. Architecture The lowest part of a structure, such as a wall, considered as a separate unit: the base of a column.12. Heraldry The lower part of a shield.13. Linguistics A morpheme or morphemes regarded as a form to which affixes or other bases may be added.14. Mathematics a. The side or face of a geometric figure to which an altitude is or is thought to be drawn.b. The number that is raised to various powers to generate the principal counting units of a number system. The base of the decimal system, for example, is 10.c. The number raised to the logarithm of a designated number in order to produce that designated number; the number at which a chosen logarithmic scale has the value 1.15. A line used as a reference for measurement or computations.16. Chemistry a. Any of a class of compounds whose aqueous solutions are characterized by a bitter taste, a slippery feel, the ability to turn litmus blue, and the ability to react with acids to form salts.b. A substance that yields hydroxide ions when dissolved in water.c. A substance that can act as a proton acceptor.d. A substance that can donate a pair of electrons to form a covalent bond.17. Electronics a. The region in a transistor between the emitter and the collector.b. The electrode attached to this region.18. One of the nitrogen-containing purines (adenine and guanine) or pyrimidines (cytosine, thymine, and uracil) that occurs attached to the sugar component of DNA or RNA.adj.1. Forming or serving as a base: a base layer of soil.2. Situated at or near the base or bottom: a base camp for the mountain climbers.3. Chemistry Of, relating to, or containing a base.tr.v. based, bas·ing, bas·es 1. To form or provide a base for: based the new company in Portland.2. To find a basis for; establish: based her conclusions on the report; a film based on a best-selling novel.3. To assign to a base; station: troops based in the Middle East.Idiom: off base Badly mistaken.[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin basis, from Greek; see gw?- in Indo-European roots.]Synonyms: base1, basis, foundation, ground1, groundwork These nouns all pertain to what underlies and supports. Base is used broadly in both literal and figurative contexts: the wide base of the pyramid; a party seeking to expand its power base. Basis is used in a nonphysical sense: “Healthy scepticism is the basis of all accurate observation” (Arthur Conan Doyle). Foundation often stresses firmness of support for something of relative magnitude: “Our flagrant disregard for the law attacks the foundation of this society” (Peter D. Relic). Ground is used figuratively, especially in the plural, to mean a justifiable reason: grounds for divorce. Groundwork usually has the sense of a necessary preliminary: “It [the Universal Declaration of Human Rights] has laid the groundwork for the world’s war crimes tribunals” (Hillary Rodham Clinton).base 2 (b?s)adj. bas·er, bas·est 1. Having or showing a lack of decency; contemptible, mean-spirited, or selfish.2. a. Being a metal that is of little value.b. Containing such metals: base coins.3. Archaic Of low birth, rank, or position.4. Obsolete Short in stature.n. Obsolete A bass singer or voice.[Middle English bas, low, from Old French, from Medieval Latin bassus.]base?ly adv.base?ness n.Synonyms: base2, low1, abject, ignoble, mean2, sordid These adjectives mean lacking in dignity or falling short of the standards befitting humans. Base suggests a contemptible, mean-spirited, or selfish lack of human decency: “that liberal obedience, without which your army would be a base rabble” (Edmund Burke). Something low violates standards of morality, ethics, or propriety: low cunning; a low trick. Abject means degrading or miserable: abject failure; abject poverty. Ignoble means lacking noble qualities, such as elevated moral character: “For my part I think it a less evil that some criminals should escape than that the government should play an ignoble part” (Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.). Mean suggests pettiness, spite, or stinginess: “Never ascribe to an opponent motives meaner than your own” (J.M. Barrie). Sordid suggests foul, repulsive degradation: “It is through art … that we can shield ourselves from the sordid perils of actual existence” (Oscar Wilde).American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.