a especially of leaves; located at the base of a plant or stem; especially arising directly from the root or rootstock or a root-like stem
basal placentation
n installation from which a military force initiates operations
the attack wiped out our forward bases
n lowest support of a structure
it was built on a base of solid rock
n a place that the runner must touch before scoring
n the bottom or lowest part
the base of the mountain
n (anatomy) the part of an organ nearest its point of attachment
the base of the skull
n a lower limit
n the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained
n a support or foundation
the base of the lamp
n a phosphoric ester of a nucleoside; the basic structural unit of nucleic acids (DNA or RNA)
n any of various water-soluble compounds capable of turning litmus blue and reacting with an acid to form a salt and water
bases include oxides and hydroxides of metals and ammonia
n the bottom side of a geometric figure from which the altitude can be constructed
the base of the triangle
n the most important or necessary part of something
n (numeration system) the positive integer that is equivalent to one in the next higher counting place
n the place where you are stationed and from which missions start and end
n 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
n (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed
n the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area
the industrial base of Japan
n the principal ingredient of a mixture
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
n a flat bottom on which something is intended to sit
a tub should sit on its own base
n (electronics) the part of a transistor that separates the emitter from the collector
v use as a basis for; found on
base a claim on some observation
v situate as a center of operations
we will base this project in the new lab
v use (purified cocaine) by burning it and inhaling the fumes
s serving as or forming a base
the painter applied a base coat followed by two finishing coats
s of low birth or station (`base' is archaic in this sense)
baseborn wretches with dirty faces
s (used of metals) consisting of or alloyed with inferior metal
base coins of aluminum a base metal
s not adhering to ethical or moral principles
base and unpatriotic motives a base, degrading way of life
s having or showing an ignoble lack of honor or morality
that liberal obedience without which your army would be a base rabble"- Edmund Burke
s illegitimate
s debased; not genuine
an attempt to eliminate the base coinage