(n)basis, base, foundation, fundament, groundwork, cornerstonethe fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained“the whole argument rested on a basis of conjecture”
(n)base, alkaliany of various water-soluble compounds capable of turning litmus blue and reacting with an acid to form a salt and water“bases include oxides and hydroxides of metals and ammonia”
(n)base, radix(numeration system) the positive integer that is equivalent to one in the next higher counting place“10 is the radix of the decimal system”
(n)infrastructure, basethe stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area“the industrial base of Japan”
(n)basethe principal ingredient of a mixture“glycerinated gelatin is used as a base for many ointments”, “he told the painter that he wanted a yellow base with just a hint of green”, “everything she cooked seemed to have rice as the base”
(s)base, baseborn, humble, lowlyof low birth or station (`base' is archaic in this sense)“baseborn wretches with dirty faces”, “of humble (or lowly) birth”
(s)base, immoralnot adhering to ethical or moral principles“base and unpatriotic motives”, “a base, degrading way of life”, “cheating is dishonorable”, “they considered colonialism immoral”, “unethical practices in handling public funds”
(s)base, mean, meanspiritedhaving or showing an ignoble lack of honor or morality“that liberal obedience without which your army would be a base rabble” (Edmund Burke), “taking a mean advantage”, “chok'd with ambition of the meaner sort” (Shakespeare), “something essentially vulgar and meanspirited in politics”