the bottom support of anything; that on which a thing stands or rests: a metal base for the table.
a fundamental principle or groundwork; foundation; basis: the base of needed reforms.
the bottom layer or coating, as of makeup or paint.
Architecture.
the distinctively treated portion of a column or pier below the shaft or shafts.
the distinctively treated lowermost portion of any construction, as a monument, exterior wall, etc.
Botany, Zoology.
the part of an organ nearest its point of attachment.
the point of attachment.
the principal element or ingredient of anything, considered as its fundamental part: face cream with a lanolin base; paint with a lead base.
that from which a commencement, as of action or reckoning, is made; a starting point or point of departure.
the main supporters or fans of a political candidate, celebrity, company, etc.: Her proposed policies are calculated to appeal to her base.
Baseball.
any of the four corners of the diamond, especially first, second, or third base.Compare home plate.
a square canvas sack containing sawdust or some other light material, for marking first, second, or third base.
a starting line or point for runners, racing cars, etc.
(in hockey and other games) the goal.
Military.
a fortified or more or less protected area or place from which the operations of an army or an air force proceed.
a supply installation for a large military force.
Geometry. the line or surface forming the part of a figure that is most nearly horizontal or on which it is supposed to stand.
Mathematics.
the number that serves as a starting point for a logarithmic or other numerical system.
a collection of subsets of a topological space having the property that every open set in the given topology can be written as the union of sets of the collection.
a collection of neighborhoods of a point such that every neighborhood of the point contains one from the collection.
a collection of sets of a given filter such that every set in the filter is contained in some set in the collection.
Also called base line.Surveying. See under triangulation (def. 1).
Painting.
vehicle (def. 10).
Also called carrier. inert matter, used in the preparation of lakes, onto which a coloring compound is precipitated.
Photography. a thin, flexible layer of cellulose triacetate or similar material that holds the light-sensitive film emulsion and other coatings, especially on motion-picture film.
Chemistry.
a compound that reacts with an acid to form a salt, as ammonia, calcium hydroxide, or certain nitrogen-containing organic compounds.
the hydroxide of a metal or of an electropositive element or group.
a group or molecule that takes up or accepts protons.
a molecule or ion containing an atom with a free pair of electrons that can be donated to an acid; an electron-pair donor.
any of the purine and pyrimidine compounds found in nucleic acids: the purines adenine and guanine and the pyrimidines cytosine, thymine, and uracil.
Grammar. the part of a complex word, consisting of one or more morphemes, to which derivational or inflectional affixes may be added, as want in unwanted or biolog- in biological.Compare root1 (def. 12), stem1 (def. 16).
Linguistics. the component of a generative grammar containing the lexicon and phrase-structure rules that generate the deep structure of sentences.
Electronics.
an electrode or terminal on a transistor other than the emitter or collector electrodes or terminals.
the part of an incandescent lamp or electron tube that includes the terminals for making electrical connection to a circuit or power supply.
Stock Exchange. the level at which a security ceases a decline in price.
Heraldry. the lower part of an escutcheon.
bases,Armor. a tonlet formed of two shaped steel plates assembled side by side.
Jewelry. pavilion (def. 6).
in base,Heraldry. in the lower part of an escutcheon.
adjective
serving as or forming a base: The walls will need a base coat and two finishing coats.
verb (used with object),based,bas·ing.
to make or form a base or foundation for.
to establish, as a fact or conclusion (usually followed by on or upon): He based his assumption of her guilt on the fact that she had no alibi.
to place or establish on a base or basis; ground; found (usually followed by on or upon): Our plan is based on a rising economy.
to station, place, or situate (usually followed by at or on): He is based at Fort Benning. The squadron is based on a carrier.
verb (used without object),based,bas·ing.
to have a basis; be based (usually followed by on or upon): Fluctuating prices usually base on a fickle public's demand.
to have or maintain a base: I believe they had based on Greenland at one time.
Idioms for base
get to first base. first base (def. 2).
off base,
Baseball.not touching a base: The pitcher caught him off base and, after a quick throw, he was put out by the second baseman.
Informal.badly mistaken: The police were way off base when they tried to accuse her of the theft.
on base, Baseball. having reached a base or bases: Two men are on base.
touch base with, to make contact with: They've touched base with every political group on campus.
Origin of base
1
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English (noun), from Middle French, from Latin basis basis
synonym study for base
1. Base,basis,foundation refer to anything upon which a structure is built and upon which it rests. Base usually refers to a literal supporting structure: the base of a statue.Basis more often refers to a figurative support: the basis of a report.Foundation implies a solid, secure understructure: the foundation of a skyscraper or a rumor.
It is based on the interaction between the sender and the receiver.
Christian Puglisi Is Closing His Influential Copenhagen Restaurants. COVID Is Only Partly to Blame|Rafael Tonon|September 17, 2020|Eater
Our country is based on that, and I think it’s going to happen pretty quickly.
Timeline: The 124 times Trump has downplayed the coronavirus threat|Aaron Blake, JM Rieger|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
Ever since, though, he had completed fewer passes than we’d expect based on the characteristics of the throws he attempted — until now.
Aaron Rodgers Is Playing Like Aaron Rodgers Again|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|September 16, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Especially on the coronavirus, he is playing to his base above all else.
Trump keeps dodging the crux of major issues — and that’s showing in his reelection prospects|Amber Phillips|September 16, 2020|Washington Post
She got 35 percent of the vote after spending less than $200,000, revealing that there was a base for left-wing politics in a state politically dominated by moderate suburbanites.
The Trailer: The First State goes last|David Weigel|September 15, 2020|Washington Post
If ISIS “came into a base and killed hundreds of troops, then people would ask a lot more questions.”
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War|Nancy A. Youssef|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In the weeks following the Sept. 9, car bombing at the Iranian base, Iran raided a village in the Pakistani district of Chagai.
The Dangerous Drug-Funded Secret War Between Iran and Pakistan|Umar Farooq|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
However, intellectual honesty is the first thing to go when you are forced to constantly pander to your base.
Rush Limbaugh’s Fear of a Black James Bond|Dean Obeidallah|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Shortly after the base fell militants started tweeting photographs of MANPADS, both the Russian-made SA-16 and SA-18.
Did ISIS Shoot Down a Fighter Jet?|Jamie Dettmer, Christopher Dickey|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
However, the Republican base will be far less forgiving of Paul for his criticism of police policy and his courtship of Sharpton.
The board a has for its base a heavy block of wood b, upon which two upright pins e e, are fixed.
A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures and Mines|Andrew Ure
Orbicular lizards were found about this camp, and had been once or twice before noticed near the base of the mountains.
Early Western Travels 1748-1846, Volume XVI|Various
Commerce, however, fixed Kinshassa as its base of operation, and its expansion has been astonishing for that part of the world.
An African Adventure|Isaac F. Marcosson
In a few days he brought back six coins, which he insisted were of base metal.
Mysteries of Police and Crime|Arthur Griffiths
But once more, I swear before Heaven that your base charges are false.
The Sapphire Cross|George Manville Fenn
British Dictionary definitions for base (1 of 2)
base1
/ (beɪs) /
noun
the bottom or supporting part of anything
the fundamental or underlying principle or part, as of an idea, system, or organization; basis
a centre of operations, organization, or supplythe climbers made a base at 8000 feet
(as modifier)base camp
a centre from which military activities are coordinated
anything from which a process, as of measurement, action, or thought, is or may be begun; starting pointthe new discovery became the base for further research
the main ingredient of a mixtureto use rice as a base in cookery
a chemical compound that combines with an acid to form a salt and water. A solution of a base in water turns litmus paper blue, produces hydroxyl ions, and has a pH greater than 7. Bases are metal oxides or hydroxides or aminesSee also Lewis base
biochemany of the nitrogen-containing constituents of nucleic acids: adenine, thymine (in DNA), uracil (in RNA), guanine, or cytosine
a medium such as oil or water in which the pigment is dispersed in paints, inks, etc; vehicle
the inorganic material on which the dye is absorbed in lake pigments; carrier
biology
the part of an organ nearest to its point of attachment
the point of attachment of an organ or part
the bottommost layer or part of anything
architect
the lowest division of a building or structure
the lower part of a column or pier
another word for baseline (def. 2)
the lower side or face of a geometric construction
maths
the number of distinct single-digit numbers in a counting system, and so the number represented as 10 in a place-value systemthe binary system has two digits, 0 and 1, and 10 to base two represents 2 See place-value
(of a logarithm or exponential) the number whose powers are expressedsince 1000 = 10³, the logarithm of 1000 to base 10 is 3
(of a mathematical structure) a substructure from which the given system can be generated
the initial instance from which a generalization is proven by mathematical induction
Also called: base clauselogicmathsthe initial element of a recursive definition, that defines the first element of the infinite sequence generated thereby
linguistics
a root or stem
See base component
electronicsthe region in a transistor between the emitter and collector
photogthe glass, paper, or cellulose-ester film that supports the sensitized emulsion with which it is coated
heraldrythe lower part of the shield
jewellerythe quality factor used in pricing natural pearls
a starting or finishing point in any of various games
baseballany of the four corners of the diamond, which runners have to reach in order to score
the main source of a certain commodity or elementa customer base; their fan base
get to first baseUS and Canadianinformalto accomplish the first stage in a project or a series of objectives
off baseUS and Canadianinformalwrong or badly mistaken
touch baseto make contact
verb
(tr foll by on or upon)to use as a basis (for); found (on)your criticisms are based on ignorance
(often foll by at or in) to station, post, or place (a person or oneself)
Word Origin for base
C14: from Old French, from Latin basis pedestal; see basis
British Dictionary definitions for base (2 of 2)
base2
/ (beɪs) /
adjective
devoid of honour or morality; ignoble; contemptible
of inferior quality or value
debased; alloyed; counterfeitbase currency
English history
(of land tenure) held by villein or other ignoble service
holding land by villein or other ignoble service
archaicborn of humble parents; plebeian
archaicillegitimate
adjective, noun
music an obsolete spelling of bass 1
Derived forms of base
basely, adverbbaseness, noun
Word Origin for base
C14: from Old French bas, from Late Latin bassus of low height, perhaps from Greek bassōn deeper
paltry, support, infrastructure, ground, foundation, source, garrison, center, camp, site, terminal, field, station, settlement, home, post, depot, port, locate, depend
Cultural definitions for base
base
Any of a number of bitter-tasting, caustic materials. Technically, a material that produces negative ions in solution. A base is the opposite of an acid and has a pH of 7 to 14. A given amount of a base added to the same amount of an acid neutralizes the acid; water and a salt are produced. Alkalis are bases; ammonia is a common base.
The part of an organ nearest its point of attachment.
A fundamental ingredient; a chief constituent of a mixture.
Any of a large class of compounds, including the hydroxides and oxides of metals, having a bitter taste, a slippery solution, the capacity to turn litmus blue, and to react with acids to form salts.
A molecular or ionic substance capable of combining with a proton to form a new substance.Brønsted base
A nitrogen-containing organic compound that combines in such a manner.
A substance that provides a pair of electrons for a covalent bond with an acid.
Any of a class of compounds that form hydroxyl ions (OH) when dissolved in water, and whose aqueous solutions react with acids to form salts. Bases turn red litmus paper blue and have a pH greater than 7. Their aqueous solutions have a bitter taste. Compare acid.
See nitrogen base.
Mathematics
The side or face of a geometric figure to which an altitude is or is thought to be drawn. The base can be, but is not always, the bottom part of the figure.
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.
The number that is raised to a particular power in a given mathematical expression. In the expression an, a is the base.