base

(noun) installation from which a military force initiates operations. Synonyms: base of operations. Examples: "The attack wiped out our forward bases."

(noun) lowest support of a structure. Synonyms: foundation, fundament, foot, groundwork, substructure, understructure. Examples: "It was built on a base of solid rock." "He stood at the foot of the tower."

(noun) a place that the runner must touch before scoring. Synonyms: bag. Examples: "He scrambled to get back to the bag."

(noun) the bottom or lowest part. Examples: "The base of the mountain."

(noun) (anatomy) the part of an organ nearest its point of attachment. Examples: "The base of the skull."

(noun) a lower limit. Synonyms: floor. Examples: "The government established a wage floor."

(noun) the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained. Synonyms: basis, foundation, fundament, groundwork, cornerstone. Examples: "The whole argument rested on a basis of conjecture."

(noun) a support or foundation. Synonyms: pedestal, stand. Examples: "The base of the lamp."

(noun) a phosphoric ester of a nucleoside; the basic structural unit of nucleic acids (DNA or RNA). Synonyms: nucleotide.

(noun) any of various water-soluble compounds capable of turning litmus blue and reacting with an acid to form a salt and water. Synonyms: alkali. Examples: "Bases include oxides and hydroxides of metals and ammonia."

(noun) the bottom side of a geometric figure from which the altitude can be constructed. Examples: "The base of the triangle."

(noun) the most important or necessary part of something. Synonyms: basis. Examples: "The basis of this drink is orange juice."

(noun) (numeration system) the positive integer that is equivalent to one in the next higher counting place. Synonyms: radix. Examples: "10 is the radix of the decimal system."

(noun) the place where you are stationed and from which missions start and end. Synonyms: home.

(noun) a terrorist network intensely opposed to the United States that dispenses money and logistical support and training to a wide variety of radical Islamic terrorist groups; has cells in more than 50 countries. Synonyms: al-Qaeda, Qaeda, al-Qa'ida, al-Qaida, Base.

(noun) (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed. Synonyms: root, root word, stem, theme, radical. Examples: "Thematic vowels are part of the stem."

(noun) the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area. Synonyms: infrastructure. Examples: "The industrial base of japan."

(noun) the principal ingredient of a mixture. Examples: "Glycerinated gelatin is used as a base for many ointments." "He told the painter that he wanted a yellow base with just a hint of green." "Everything she cooked seemed to have rice as the base."

(noun) a flat bottom on which something is intended to sit. Examples: "A tub should sit on its own base."

(noun) (electronics) the part of a transistor that separates the emitter from the collector.

(verb) use as a basis for; found on. Synonyms: establish, ground, found. Examples: "Base a claim on some observation."

(verb) situate as a center of operations. Examples: "We will base this project in the new lab."

(verb) use (purified cocaine) by burning it and inhaling the fumes. Synonyms: free-base.

(adj) serving as or forming a base. Synonyms: basal. Examples: "The painter applied a base coat followed by two finishing coats."

(adj) of low birth or station (`base' is archaic in this sense). Synonyms: baseborn, humble, lowly. Examples: "Baseborn wretches with dirty faces." "Of humble (or lowly) birth."

(adj) (used of metals) consisting of or alloyed with inferior metal. Examples: "Base coins of aluminum." "A base metal."

(adj) not adhering to ethical or moral principles. Synonyms: immoral. Examples: "Base and unpatriotic motives." "A base, degrading way of life." "Cheating is dishonorable." "They considered colonialism immoral." "Unethical practices in handling public funds."

(adj) having or showing an ignoble lack of honor or morality. Synonyms: mean, meanspirited. Examples: "That liberal obedience without which your army would be a base rabble"- edmund burke." "Taking a mean advantage." "Chok'd with ambition of the meaner sort"- shakespeare." "Something essentially vulgar and meanspirited in politics."

(adj) illegitimate. Synonyms: baseborn.

(adj) debased; not genuine. Examples: "An attempt to eliminate the base coinage."