Base, n. 1. Basis, foundation, ground, groundwork, lowest part.

2. (Surveying.) Base-line.

3. (Chem.) Principal element (of a compound).

Base-born, a. Base, of low birth.

Base-line, n. (Surveying.) Base.

Basement, n. Ground-floor, lowest story.

Base-minded, a. Mean, low, vile, grovelling, beggarly, pitiful, despicable, abject, low-minded, mean-spirited.

Baseness, n. 1. Meanness, vileness, despicableness, contemptibleness, abasement, worthlessness, abjectness.

2. Disgrace, ignominy, infamy, shame, dishonor, turpitude.

Bashful, a. Shy, timid, timorous, coy, diffident, sheepish, shamefaced, over-modest, not self-possessed.

Bashfulness, n. Shyness, timidity, coyness, diffidence, self-distrust, excessive modesty.

Basilisk, n. Cockatrice.

Basis, n. Base, foundation, ground, groundwork, lowest part.

Bask, v. n. Lie in the sun, be exposed to a pleasant heat.

Bask, v. a. Expose to sunshine or to a pleasant heat.

Bass, a. (Mus.) Low, deep, grave.

Basset, v. n. (Geol.) Crop out.

Bassetting, n. Cropping out, out-crop.

Bastard, n. Love-child, illegitimate child, natural child.

Bastard, a. 1. Illegitimate.

2. Spurious, false, counterfeit, not genuine.

Baste, v. a. 1. Beat (with a stick), cudgel, cane, drub, thrash.

2. Moisten with fat.

3. Sew (with long stitches).

Bastinado, n. Cudgelling or beating (on the soles of the feet).

Bastinado, v. a. Cudgel or beat (on the soles of the feet).

Batch, n. Certain quantity (as of bread, ore, &c., treated at one time).

Bate, v. a. Abate, lessen, diminish, decrease, reduce, rebate, remit.

Bathe, v. a. Wash, lave.

Bathe, v. n. Wash the body, go into a bath, take a bath.

Bathos, n. Anticlimax.

Bating, prep. Except, excepting.

Batten, n. Thin strip.

Batten, v. a. 1. Fasten with battens.

2. Fatten, make fat.

Batten, v. n. Grow fat.

Batter, v. a. 1. Beat, smite, pelt, dash against.

2. Bruise, break, shatter, shiver, smash, demolish, destroy, strike down, knock down, shake to pieces, shiver to pieces.

Batter, v. n. (Masonry.) Slope backward.

Batter, n. (Masonry.) Slope backward.

Battle, n. Combat, engagement, action, conflict, contest, fight, rencontre, collision, skirmish, brush, affair.

Battle array, Order of battle.

Bawble, n. Trinket, gewgaw, toy, trifle, plaything, gimcrack, knack, knick-knack, jiggumbob.

Bawd, n. Procurer, pander, pimp.

Bawdy, a. Obscene, filthy, indecent, impure, smutty, lewd.

Bawdy-house, n. Brothel, stew, bagnio, whore-house, house of prostitution, house of ill fame.

Bawl, v. n. Hoot, shout, vociferate, yell, howl, roar, cry, squall.

Bay, a. Reddish-brown.

Bay, n. 1. Bight, inlet of the sea.

2. Recess (as in a room), opening.

3. Compartment.

4. Bay-tree, laurel-tree (Laurus nobilis).

Bay, v. n. Bark.

Bayberry, n. Wax-myrtle (Myrica cerifera).

Bay-rum, n. Spirit of Myrcia (rum distilled with the leaves of Myrcia acris).

Bays, n. pl. Crown, garland, wreath, honorary distinction.

Bay-salt, n. Common salt (as obtained by evaporation of sea-water), chloride of sodium.

Bay-tree, n. Bay, laurel-tree.

Bazaar, n. Market-place.

Be, v. n. Exist (whether in fact or in imagination), subsist, have existence, have being.

Beach, n. Shore, coast, strand, seaboard, seacoast.

Beacon, n. 1. Signal-fire.

2. Mark, sign, signal.

Beak, n. 1. Bill, mandible, neb.

2. Prow, bow, stem.

Beam, n. 1. Girder, piece of timber.

2. Ray, pencil, streak, gleam, glimmer.

Beam, v. n. Shine, emit rays.

Beam, v. a. Shoot forth, emit in rays or beams.

Beamy, a. Radiant, beaming.

Bear, v. a. 1. Uphold, support, sustain, hold up.

2. Carry, transport, convey, waft.

3. Possess, have, hold.

4. Endure, suffer, undergo, brook, tolerate, abide, put up with, bear with, take patiently or easily, have patience with, submit to.