abase

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English [edit]

Etymology [edit]

Pronunciation [edit]

Verb [edit]

abase (third-person singular simple present abases, present participle abasing, simple past and past participle abased)

  1. (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]
  2. (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]
    • "Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased." - Luke 14:11
  3. (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]

Shorthand [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ 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. 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: