base

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The two words overlap in meaning, but broadly base is physical (the base of a column, a poison with an arsenic base), while basis is figurative with a primary meaning 'that on which something depends', as in a basis for action, the basis of an argument, or doing things on a friendly basis. Expressions such as on a regular basis, on a daily basis, and on a voluntary basis are sometimes frowned on when simpler adverbs (regularly, daily, voluntarily) are available, but the longer forms often make the point more effectively, can produce a better sentence balance, and are well established. Base is occasionally found in figurative meanings too, especially in semi-fixed collocations such as customer (or client) base and base of support. In language, it has the special meaning of a philological root (The word cairn is derived from a Celtic base).

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For more information on base, visit Britannica.com.

In the Brønsted-Lowry classification, any chemical species, ionic or molecular, capable of accepting or receiving a proton (hydrogen ion) from another substance. The other substance acts as an acid in giving up the proton. A substance may act as a base, then, only in the presence of an acid. The greater the tendency to accept a proton, the stronger the base. The hydroxyl ion acts as a strong base. Substances that ionize in aqueous solutions to produce the hydroxyl ion (OH), such as potassium hydroxide (KOH) and barium hydroxide [Ba(OH)₂], are also conventionally called bases.

Anions of weak acids such as acetic and formic, act as bases in reacting with solvent water to form the molecular acid and hydroxyl ion, for example, the acetate ion (CH₃COO⁻). Ammonia (NH₃) and amines react similarly in aqueous solutions. In these examples, the acetate ion and acetic acid (CH₃COOH) and NH₃ and the ammonium ion are conjugate base-acid pairs. The basicity constant, K_b, is the equilibrium constant for the proton transfer reaction, and it is a quantitative measure of base strength.

The Lewis classification involves the concept of a base as a substance that donates an electron pair to an acid aceptor. In the gas phase, NH₃ acts as a base contributing an electron pair to the formation of a convalent bond with the boron trifluoride (BF₃) molecule. See also Acid and base.

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(1) A starting or reference point.

(2) In a bipolar transistor, the elements that act as a switch. In NMOS and PMOS transistors, which make up CMOS circuits, the base is called the "gate." See transistor.

(3) A multiplier in a numbering system. In a decimal system, each digit position is worth 10x the position to its right. In binary, each digit position is worth 2x the position to its right.

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in technical analysis, a chart pattern in which the support level and the resistance level come together. During a basing period, supply and demand are in relative equilibrium and the stock trades in a narrow range. A positive or negative Breakout from a basing period can be a powerful buy or sell signal.

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noun

1. The lowest or supporting part or structure: basis, bed, bottom, foot, footing, foundation, fundament, ground, groundwork, seat, substratum, underpinning (often used in plural). See over/under.
2. That on which something immaterial, such as an argument or a charge, rests: basis, footing, foundation, fundament, ground (often used in plural), groundwork, underpinning (often used in plural). See over/under.
3. A fundamental principle or underlying concept: basis, cornerstone, foundation, fundament, fundamental, root, rudiment (often used in plural). See over/under.
4. A center of organization, supply, or activity: complex, headquarters, station. Military installation. See place.
5. The main part of a word to which affixes are attached: root, stem, theme. See words.

verb

To provide a basis for: build, establish, found, ground, predicate, rest, root, underpin. See over/under.

base²

adjective

1. Having or proceeding from low moral standards: ignoble, low, low-down, mean, sordid, squalid, vile. See right/wrong.
2. Of decidedly inferior quality: cheap, lousy, miserable, paltry, poor, rotten, shoddy, sleazy, trashy. Informal cheesy. Slang crummy, schlocky. See good/bad.
3. Lacking high station or birth: baseborn, common, déclassé, declassed, humble, ignoble, lowly, mean, plebeian, unwashed, vulgar. See over/under.

adj

Definition: fundamental
Antonyms: nonessential

adj

Definition: vulgar, low
Antonyms: good, honest, moral, noble

n

Definition: foundation
Antonyms: apex, summit, top

n

Definition: headquarters
Antonyms: annex, branch

1. The lowest (and often widest) visible part of a building, often distinctively treated. A base is distinguished from a foundation or footing in being visible rather than buried. 2. A low, thickened section of a wall; a wall base. Also see socle.
3. Lower part of a column or pier, wider than the shaft, and resting on a plinth, pedestal, podium, or stylobate. Also see Asiatic base, Attic base.
4. A baseboard; skirting.
5. A preparation for a finished surface, as for flooring, stucco, paint, etc.; a surface to which the base coat of plaster is applied. Also see backing, ground.
6. In paint, either the medium or the main chemical ingredient.
7. In asphaltic or portland cement concrete paving, the prepared bottom course of crushed stone or gravel upon which subsequent courses are laid; serves to distribute localized wheel loads over a larger subbase and hence to improve load-bearing capacity.
8. The lowest point of any vertical pipe.

bases, 3

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A period in which a stock price has very little or no trend. The resulting price pattern is a flat line.

Investopedia Says:
Basing is a common occurrence after a stock or the market has been in a lengthy decline or has increased by a large amount. In other words, the market is taking a break. Some stocks can form a base that lasts for severals years before the trend is reversed.

Related Links:
Learn how chartists analyze the price movements of the market. We'll introduce you to the most important concepts in this approach. Basics Of Technical Analysis
Learn how to read these formations of horizontal trading patterns. Triangles: A Short Study In Continuation Patterns
Don't flip a coin to find your next investment. Spot Hotshot Penny Stocks

The region that lies betwen the emitter and collector of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT).

(DOD, NATO) 1. A locality from which operations are projected or supported. 2. An area or locality containing installations which provide logistic or other support. See also establishment. 3. (DOD only) Home airfield or home carrier. See also base of operations; facility.

mod. rude; gross. (California.)  You are so, like, base!

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IN BRIEF: adj. - Being derived from (often followed by `on' or `upon').

Nothing is more despicable than respect based on fear. — Albert Camus

Tutor's tip: "Based" (founded) on his domestic lessons, he felt confident that he could either "baste" (to moisten meat) the meat or "baste" (to sew loosely) his pants as needed.

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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.

i. A location where aircraft with all facilities are based. Refers to an air force base, naval air station, and fixed base operator.
ii. In air traffic control phraseology and when transmitted on the radio, it means turning onto the base leg of the circuit pattern. The base leg, as it is known, is flown at right angles to the runway, just before turning to the final direction for landing.



iii. In photogrammetry, the distance at the scale of the stereoscopic model between adjacent perspective centers as reconstructed in the plotting instrument. Also called an air base.



iv. In military radio telephony usage, it means the airfield from which the mission was launched, as in “return to base.”
v. The same as base course.

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A chemical which when solublized in water will shift the pH upward toward the alkaline side (above a pH of 7.0). See Acid, Neutral, pH.

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1. (in chemistry)
   (a) a Brønsted-Lowry base
   .
   (b) a Lewis base. See acid (def. 2)
   .
2. (in molecular biology) any purine or pyrimidine that occurs as a component residue in polynucleotides or nucleic acids. Purines and pyrimidines are nitrogen bases, hence the terminology.
3. a unit of length of a polynucleotide or nucleic acid, equal to one nucleotide residue. Large molecules are usually measured in kilobases (10³ bases; symbol: kb) or megabases (10⁶ bases; symbol: Mb). See nitrogenous base.
4. (in mathematics)
   (a) the number of units in a system of counting that is equivalent to one unit in the next higher counting place
   .
   (b) the number that when raised to a specified power, its exponent, has a logarithm equal to the specified power
   .
5. the bottom or supporting part of anything; the point of attachment of an organ or part to an organism.

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For a list of words related to baseness, see:

• Fraud, Treachery, and Deception - baseness: lack of noble qualities of mind or spirit; villainy

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See words rhyming with "base."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Base.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
1.
n. - basis, fundament
v. tr. - basere, grundlægge, fundere på
adj. - basis-, grund-

idioms:

• base of the skull    kraniets basis
• get to first base    nå til første base
• off base    være på vildspor, være langt ude i krattet

2.
adj. - ringe, simpel
n. - udgangspunkt, grundprincip

idioms:

• base coin    falsk mønt
• base metal    uædelt metal

Nederlands (Dutch)
basis, grondvlak, grondslag, hoofdbestanddeel, ondersteuning, uitgangspunt, honk, alkali, basis-, verachtelijk, goedkoop, laag, baseren, vestigen

Français (French)
1.
n. - base, point de départ, (Chim, Math, Ling) base, partie inférieure, pied (d'une colonne), soubassement (d'un bâtiment), culot (d'une lampe électrique), (Comput) base, (Mil, etc) base, (Sport) base (de base-ball)
v. tr. - fonder, baser, (Mil, etc) être basé, avoir son siège à, opérer de
adj. - qui opère à partir de, basé sur

idioms:

• base of the skull    base du crâne, crâne
• get to first base    (fig) faire les premiers pas
• off base    se tromper, (être) fou/cinglé

2.
adj. - abject, indigne, ignoble, bas, servile, faux (pièce de monnaie)
n. - (Mus) basse (une voix, un chanteur, un instrument) (arch), contrebasse

idioms:

• base coin    fausse monnaie
• base metal    métal vil

Deutsch (German)
1.
n. - Grundfläche, Basis, Grundlage, Unterlage, Sockel, Ausgangspunkt, Mal, Base
v. - basieren, stützen
adj. - Basis-

idioms:

• base of the skull    Schädelboden
• get to first base    etwas erreichen
• off base    falsch

2.
adj. - niederträchtig, niedrig
n. - Niedrigkeit, Niederträchtigkeit, Falschheit

idioms:

• base coin    entwertete Münze
• base metal    unedles Metall

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - βάση, βάθρο, αφετηρία (εξόρμησης κ.λπ.)
v. - βασίζω, εδράζω, θεμελιώνω, βάζω σε βάση, στηρίζω
adj. - κατώτερης ποιότητας, φτηνός, παρακατιανός, ταπεινός, χυδαίος

idioms:

• air base    (στρατ.) αεροπορική βάση
• base coin    νόμισμα χαμηλής περιεκτικότητας
• base metal    ευτελές μέταλλο
• base of the skull    βάση του κρανίου
• get to first base    κάνω το πρώτο βήμα για την επιτυχία
• off base    λαθεμένος

Italiano (Italian)
base, piedistallo, punto di partenza, alcali, basico, basso, abietto

idioms:

• base coin    spiccioli
• base metal    metallo vile
• get to first base    ottenere un primo successo, baciare sulla bocca
• off base    alla sprovvista, impreparato
• touch base    contattare

Português (Portuguese)
n. - base (f), lugar (f) de partida, base (f) de operações (Mil.), matéria-prima (f)
v. - apoiar, fundar, basear
adj. - vil, comum, falsificado, grave (som), degradante

idioms:

• base coin    moeda (f) falsa
• base metal    metal (m) comum
• base of the skull    base do crânio
• get to first base    alcançar o sucesso (coloq.)
• off base    completamente errado
• touch base    comunicar-se com alguém

Русский (Russian)
основание, основа, фундамент, база, основание логарифма, базовый компонент, основной, низкий

idioms:

• base coin    монета из дешевого метала
• base metal    основной металл, неблагородный металл
• base of the skull    низшая часть задней челюсти
• get to first base    сдвинуть с мертвой точки, сделать первый шаг
• off base    неточный, неправильный, ошибочный
• touch base    поговорить, обсудить

Español (Spanish)
1.
n. - base, fundamento, raíz, pedestal, peana, zócalo, punto de partida
v. tr. - basar, fundamentar, fundar, cimentar
adj. - básico, fundamental, esencial, elemental, despreciable

idioms:

• base of the skull    base del cráneo
• get to first base    vencer la primera dificultad, lograr el primer éxito
• off base    equivocado, desprevenido

2.
adj. - álcali, básico, de baja ley, de baja calidad
n. - bajo

idioms:

• base coin    no puro, aleación
• base metal    metal común

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - bas, grund, sockel, fot, grundplåt, startlinje (baseball), fundament, mål (baseball)
v. - basera, grunda, stödja, stationera
adj. - usel, tarvlig

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
1. 基, 基部, 底, 基料, 基础, 基地, 总部, 卑鄙的, 恶劣的, 拙劣的, 卑下的, 微贱的, 没有价值的, 以...作基础

idioms:

• base of the skull    头盖骨基部
• get to first base    第一垒, 第一个阶段
• off base    冷不防地

2. 卑鄙的, 恶劣的, 拙劣的, 卑下的, 微贱的, 没有价值的, 垒

idioms:

• base coin    假钱
• base metal    基底金属

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
1.
adj. - 卑鄙的, 惡劣的, 拙劣的, 卑下的, 微賤的, 沒有價值的
n. - 壘

idioms:

• base coin    假錢
• base metal    基底金屬

2.
n. - 基, 基部, 底, 基料, 基礎, 基地, 總部
adj. - 卑鄙的, 惡劣的, 拙劣的, 卑下的, 微賤的, 沒有價值的
v. tr. - 以...作基礎

idioms:

• base of the skull    頭蓋骨基部
• get to first base    第一壘, 第一個階段
• off base    冷不防地

한국어 (Korean)
1.
n. - 기초 , 근거, 주요소
v. tr. - ~의 기초를 두다, ~의 근거로 하다, ~을 세우다
adj. - 기초의, 누의

idioms:

• get to first base    1루에 나가다, 제 1단계를 성취하다

2.
adj. - 천한, 저급인, 가치 없는
n. - 저음

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 土台, 基部, 基礎, 塁, 基地, 主成分, 基剤, 底辺, 基線, 底, 出発点, 底値
v. - 基礎を置く
adj. - 卑しい

idioms:

• base coin    にせ金
• base metal    卑金属, 素地
• base of the skull    頭蓋底
• off base    ベースを離れていて, 思いがけず

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) قاعدة, أساس, (فعل) أسس, أقام على, بنى (صفه) وضيع, منحط, رخيص‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮בסיס, תחנה, נקודת-מוצא‬
v. tr. - ‮הציב, ביסס‬
adj. - ‮משמש כבסיס‬
adj. - ‮נבזה, שפל‬
n. - ‮נבזה, שפל‬

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Some good "base" pages on the web: