base
base [base bases based basing baser basest] noun, verb, adjective BrE [beɪs] NAmE [beɪs]
noun
LOWEST PART
1. countable, usually singular the lowest part of sth, especially the part or surface on which it rests or stands
•the base of a column/glass
•a pain at the base of the spine
• The lamp has a heavy base.
ORIGINAL IDEA/SITUATION
2. countable an idea, a fact, a situation, etc. from which sth is developed
Syn: ↑basis
• She used her family's history as a base for her novel.
• His arguments have a sound economic base.
OF SUPPORT/INCOME/POWER
3. countable, usually singular the people, activity, etc. from which sb/sth gets most of their support, income, power, etc
•These policies have a broad base of support.
•an economy with a solid manufacturing base
•By broadening the tax base (= increasing the number of people who pay taxes) he could raise more revenue.
see also ↑customer base, ↑power base
4. (especially NAmE) (BrE usually basic)~ pay/salary/wage the pay that you get before anything extra is added
•All we got was base pay— we didn't reach profitability levels to award a bonus.
FIRST/MAIN SUBSTANCE
5. countable, usually singular the first or main part of a substance to which other things are added
•a drink with a rum base
•Put some moisturizer on as a base before applying your make-up.
MAIN PLACE
6. countable the main place where you live or stay or where a business operates from
• I spend a lot of time in Britain but Paris is still my base.
• The town is an ideal base for touring the area.
•You can use our apartment as a base in New York.
•The company has its base in New York, and branch offices all over the world.
OF ARMY, NAVY, ETC.
7. countable, uncountable a place where an army, a navy, etc. operates from
•a military/naval base
•an air base
• After the attack, they returned to base.
CHEMISTRY
8. countable a chemical substance, for example an ↑alkali, that can combine with an acid to form a salt
MATHEMATICS
9. countable, usually singular a number on which a system of counting and expressing numbers is built up, for example 10 in the ↑decimal system and 2 in the ↑binary system
IN BASEBALL/ROUNDERS
10. countable one of the four positions that a player must reach in order to score points
see also ↑database
more at cover all the bases at ↑cover v., not get to first base at ↑first base, touch base (with sb) at ↑touch v.
Word Origin:
n. and v. Middle English Old French Latin basis ‘base, pedestal’ Greek adj. late Middle English Old French bas medieval Latin bassus ‘short’ classical Latin ‘low, short’ ‘of inferior quality’ ‘low in the social scale’ ‘reprehensibly cowardly, selfish, or mean’
Thesaurus:
base noun
1. C, usually sing.
•The statue has a solid concrete base.
bottom • • foundation • • foot •
at/near/towards the base/bottom/foot of sth
on the base/bottom of sth
(a) firm/solid/strong base/foundations
2. C, usually sing.
•His arguments have a sound economic base.
basis • • foundation •
the base/basis/foundation for/of sth
a/an ideological/intellectual/philosophical/theoretical/economic base/basis/foundation
form/have sth as/establish/use sth as a/the base/basis/foundation of sth
3. C
•The company has its base in New York.
headquarters • • office •
(a/an) permanent/temporary/main/local/regional/administrative base/headquarters/office
(a/an) army/military/enemy/rebel/operational/business base/headquarters
have/establish/set up a/an base/headquarters/office
Synonyms:
basis
foundation • base
These are all words for the ideas or facts that sth is based on.
basis • [usually sing.] a principle, an idea or a fact that supports sth and that it can develop from: ▪ This article will form the basis for our discussion.
foundation • [C, U] a principle, an idea or a fact that supports sth and that it develops from: ▪ Respect and friendship provide a solid foundation for marriage. ◇ ▪ The rumour is totally without foundation ▪ (= is not based on any facts) ▪.
basis or foundation?
Foundation is often used to talk about larger or more important things than basis: ▪ He laid the foundations of Japan 's modern economy. ◇ ▪ These figures formed the basis of their pay claim.
base • [usually sing.] an idea, a fact or a situation from which sth is developed: ▪ His arguments have a sound economic base.
a/the basis/foundation/base for/of sth
a secure/solid/sound/strong/weak basis/foundation/base
to form the basis/foundation/base of sth
to be without basis/foundation
Synonyms:
bottom
base • foundation • foot
These are all words for the lowest part of sth.
bottom • [usually sing.] the lowest part of sth: ▪ Footnotes are given at the bottom of each page. ◇ ▪ I waited for them at the bottom of the hill.
base • [usually sing.] the lowest part of sth, especially the part or surface on which it rests or stands: ▪ The lamp has a heavy base.
foundation • [usually pl.] a layer of bricks, concrete, etc. that forms the solid underground base of a building: ▪ to ▪ lay the foundations ▪ of the new school
foot • [sing.] the lowest part of sth: ▪ At the foot of the stairs she turned to face him.
bottom or foot?
Foot is used to talk about a limited number of things: it is used most often with tree, hill/mountain, steps/stairs and page. Bottom can be used to talk about a much wider range of things, including those mentioned above for foot. Foot is generally used in more literary contexts.
at/near/towards the bottom/base/foot of sth
on the bottom/base of sth
(a) firm/solid/strong base/foundation(s)
Example Bank:
•Demonstrators demanded the removal of foreign bases.
•He used the notes as a base for his lecture.
•The Americans established a naval base on the island in the 1960s.
•The company has its base in New York.
•The company has set up its new base in the north.
•The company is trying to expand its customer base.
•The country has a sound commercial base.
•The planes have all returned to base.
•The statue has a solid concrete base.
•These policies give us a solid base for winning the next election.
•a politician with a rural power base
•an ideal base for mountain expeditions
•equipment kept at the base
•people living on the air force base
•Four bronze lions stand at the base of the column.
•He felt a sharp pain at the base of his spine.
•She used her family's history as a base for her novel.
Idiom: ↑off base
Derived Word: ↑basely
Derived: ↑base something on something
verb usually passive ~ sb/sth/yourself in…
to use a particular city, town, etc. as the main place for a business, holiday/vacation, etc
• They decided to base the new company in York.
• We're going to base ourselves in Tokyo and make trips from there.
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
n. and v. Middle English Old French Latin basis ‘base, pedestal’ Greek adj. late Middle English Old French bas medieval Latin bassus ‘short’ classical Latin ‘low, short’ ‘of inferior quality’ ‘low in the social scale’ ‘reprehensibly cowardly, selfish, or mean’
Thesaurus:
base verb T, often passive
•She works for a company based in Chicago.
site • |especially written locate • |formal be situated •
be based/sited/located/situated in/at/close to sth
be based/sited/located/situated between A and B
conveniently based/sited/located/situated
Example Bank:
•The novels are all loosely based on the author's life.
•Their research was based largely on anecdotal evidence.
•She works for a company based in Chicago.
•They decided to base the new company in Redditch.
•We're going to base ourselves in Tokyo and make trips from there.
adjective (baser, bas·est)(formal)
not having moral principles or rules
• He acted from base motives.
Word Origin:
n. and v. Middle English Old French Latin basis ‘base, pedestal’ Greek adj. late Middle English Old French bas medieval Latin bassus ‘short’ classical Latin ‘low, short’ ‘of inferior quality’ ‘low in the social scale’ ‘reprehensibly cowardly, selfish, or mean’
See also: ↑basic
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