abase

abase

verb \ə-ˈbās\

abasedabas·ing

Definition of ABASE

transitive verb

1

archaic : to lower physically

2

: to lower in rank, office, prestige, or esteem

— abase·ment \-ˈbās-mənt\ noun

Examples of ABASE

1. <was unwilling to abase himself by pleading guilty to a crime that he did not commit>
2. <I certainly don't abase myself when I do good, honest manual labor.>

Origin of ABASE

Middle English abassen, from Anglo-French abesser, abaisser, from a- (from Latin ad-) + -besser, from Vulgar Latin *bassiare to lower

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to ABASE

Synonyms: debase, bastardize, canker, cheapen, corrupt, debauch, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, deteriorate, lessen, pervert, poison, profane, prostitute, subvert, vitiate, warp

Antonyms: elevate, ennoble, uplift

Related Words: befoul, begrime, contaminate, defile, dilute, dirty, pollute, taint, thin, water down, weaken; descend; disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, shame, take down; blemish, damage, deface, destroy, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, mar, ruin, spoil, stain, tarnish, wreck; depreciate, downgrade

Near Antonyms: dignify, exalt, honor; ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect; clarify, clean, cleanse, purify, refine, restore; respect

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with ABASE

airspace, Alsace, ambsace, apace, backspace, best-case, biface, birthplace, blackface, boldface, bookcase, bootlace, braincase, briefcase, clubface, crankcase, cyclase, debase, deface, disgrace, displace, dogface, doughface, efface, embrace, emplace, encase, enchase, enlace, erase, euclase, firebase, fireplace, footpace, footrace, foreface, freebase, gyrase, half-space, hard case, headspace, hydrase, Jerez, kinase, lactase, lightface, lipase, lyase, maltase, manes, millrace, milreis, misplace, mutase, notecase, null-space, nutcase, outface, outpace, outrace, paleface, postface, Quilmes, replace, scapegrace, shoelace, showcase, showplace, slipcase, smearcase, someplace, staircase, subbase, subspace, suitcase, tailrace, tenace, typeface, ukase, unbrace, unlace, watchcase, wheelbase, whey-face, whiteface, workplace, worst-case