abase
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
- From Middle English abaisse, abesse, abessen, abaishen, abassen, from Middle French abaisser, from Old French abaissier (“bring low”), from Old French a- + baissier (“to lower”), from Vulgar Latin abbassiāre (“to lower”), from Medieval Latin bassus (“short of stature, low, humble”).[1][2]
Pronunciation [edit]
Verb [edit]
abase (third-person singular simple present abases, present participle abasing, simple past and past participle abased)
- (transitive, archaic) To lower physically or depress; to stoop; to throw or cast down; as, to abase the eye. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470)][2]
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- "Saying so, he abased his lance." - Thomas Shelton
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- (transitive) To lower, as in rank, office, condition in life, so as to hurt feelings or cause pain; to depress; to humiliate; to humble; to degrade. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470)][2]
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- "Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased." - Luke 14:11
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- (transitive, obsolete) To lower in value, in particular as altering the content of alloys in coins.[2][Attested from the mid 16th century until the mid 18th century.][2]
Synonyms [edit]
Antonyms [edit]
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
to lower so as to hurt feelings
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Shorthand [edit]
- Gregg (Version: Centennial,Series 90,DJS,Simplified,Anniversary,Pre-Anniversary): a - b - a - left s
References [edit]
- abase in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
- abase in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- ^ 2004 [1998], Elliott K. Dobbie; Dunmore, C. William, et al., Barnhart, Robert K. editor, Chambers Dictionary of Etymology, Edinburgh, Scotland: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, ISBN 0550142304, page 2:
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2003 [1933], Brown, Lesley editor, The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, edition 5th, Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-860575-7, page 2:
