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abase

verb
\ ə-ˈbās How to pronounce abase (audio) \
abased; abasing

Definition of abase

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
Other Words from abase Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about abase

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Other Words from abase

abasement \ -​ˈbās-​mənt How to pronounce abasement (audio) \ noun

Examples of abase in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 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 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

First Known Use of abase

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

History and Etymology for abase

alteration (conformed to base entry 3) 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-, base entry 3

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