abase

verb \ ə-ˈbās \

Updated on: 18 Nov 2017

Definition of abase

abased; abasing

transitive verb

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

abase oneself

… the shame that had abased him within and without …
—James Joyce

2 archaic : to lower physically

As we enter among them the great elephant makes us a bow in the best style of elephantine courtesy, bending lowly down his mountain bulk, with trunk abased and leg thrust out behind.
—Nathaniel Hawthorne

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abasement

play \-ˈbās-mənt\ noun

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Recent Examples of abase from the Web

Consequently, the hero must be either venerated and elevated or cynically scorned and abased.

— elliot kaufman, National Review, "John McCain: A Hero Under Fire," 19 July 2017
Judging from Capitol Hill’s self-abasing deference to Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller, the answer is no.

— william mcgurn, WSJ, "Mueller Is Trumping Congress," 24 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'abase.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of abase

alteration (conformed to ³base) of Middle English abessen, abaisen, abaschen, borrowed from Anglo-French abesser, abaisser, from a-, prefix in transitive verbs (going back to Latin ad-) + -besser, going back to Vulgar Latin *bassiāre "to lower," derivative of Late Latin bassus "fat, short, low" — more at ad-, ³base

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First Known Use: 14th century

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