Abase \A*base"\ ([.a]*b[=a]s"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abased
([.a]*b[=a]st"); p. pr. & vb. n. Abasing.] [F. abaisser,
LL. abassare, abbassare; ad + bassare, fr. bassus low. See
Base, a.]
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1. To lower or depress; to throw or cast down; as, to abase
the eye. [Archaic] --Bacon.
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Saying so, he abased his lance. --Shelton.
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2. To cast down or reduce low or lower, as in rank, office,
condition in life, or estimation of worthiness; to
depress; to humble; to degrade.
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Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased. --Luke
xiv. ll.
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Syn: To Abase, Debase, Degrade. These words agree in
the idea of bringing down from a higher to a lower
state. Abase has reference to a bringing down in
condition or feelings; as, to abase the proud, to abase
one's self before God. Debase has reference to the
bringing down of a thing in purity, or making it base.
It is, therefore, always used in a bad sense, as, to
debase the coin of the kingdom, to debase the mind by
vicious indulgence, to debase one's style by coarse or
vulgar expressions. Degrade has reference to a bringing
down from some higher grade or from some standard. Thus,
a priest is degraded from the clerical office. When used
in a moral sense, it denotes a bringing down in
character and just estimation; as, degraded by
intemperance, a degrading employment, etc. "Art is
degraded when it is regarded only as a trade."
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