abased


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a·base

 (ə-bās′)
tr.v. a·based, a·bas·ing, a·bas·es
To lower in rank, prestige, or esteem. See Synonyms at debase.

[Middle English abassen, from Old French abaissier : Latin ad-, ad- + Vulgar Latin *bassiāre, to lower (from *bassus, low, perhaps of Oscan origin; akin to Bassus, Bassius, Roman cognomens borne by men of Campanian origin and perhaps originally referring to squat stature).]

a·base′ment n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
References in classic literature ?
Today she overwhelmed me with shrill reproaches, and abased me to the level of a hearth-brush.
His moral force was abased into more than childish weakness.
If, then, to meanest mariners, and renegades and castaways, I shall hereafter ascribe high qualities, though dark; weave round them tragic graces; if even the most mournful, perchance the most abased, among them all, shall at times lift himself to the exalted mounts; if I shall touch that workman's arm with some ethereal light; if I shall spread a rainbow over his disastrous set of sun; then against all mortal critics bear me out in it, thou just spirit of equality, which hast spread one royal mantle of humanity over all my kind!
Some intrepid larches waved green pennons in the very midst of the turbulent water, here and there a veteran lay with his many-summered head abased in the rocky course of the stream, and here was a young foolhardy beech that had climbed within a dozen yards of the rampart.
For the rest of the term he tormented Philip cruelly, and, though Philip tried to keep out of his way, the school was so small that it was impossible; he tried being friendly and jolly with him; he abased himself, so far as to buy him a knife; but though Singer took the knife he was not placated.
How inscrutable are the ways of providence -- for what great and mysterious purpose has it pleased heaven to abase the man once so elevated, and raise up him who was so abased?"
They all wanted to say something expressive of repentance, but no one knew how to begin, and it was evident, from the prim expression of Rose's face, that she intended to stand upon her dignity till they had properly abased themselves.
He looked at her pensively for some time as though he had been concentrating the melancholy thoughts evoked by the sight of that abased woman.
Of the manner and extent to which he took our trumps into custody, and came out with mean little cards at the ends of hands, before which the glory of our Kings and Queens was utterly abased, I say nothing; nor, of the feeling that I had, respecting his looking upon us personally in the light of three very obvious and poor riddles that he had found out long ago.
Their foes were triumphant, their friends captive and abased, their home desolate, the benighted wilderness around them, and a rigorous destiny, in the shape of the Puritan leader, their only guide.
"Which means that you are vexed at not having found me more abased and humiliated than I am?" I retorted with a smile.