ETYM French base, Latin basis, from Greek basis a stepping, step, a base, pedestal, from bainein to go, step, akin to Eng. come. Related to Basis, and see Come.
1. A support or foundation; SYN. pedestal, stand.
2. A flat bottom on which something is intended to sit.
3. The bottom or lowest part.
4. Place that runner must touch before scoring; SYN. bag.
5. The place where one is stationed and from which missions start and end; SYN. home.
6. The principal ingredient of a mixture.
1. The lowest part of anything.
2. The lower side of anything; SYN. underside, undersurface.
3. A cargo ship; SYN. freighter, merchantman, merchant ship.
4. (Baseball) The second half of an inning; while the home team is at bat; SYN. bottom of the inning.
ETYM French cause, from Latin causa. Related to Cause, Kickshaw.
1. A justification for something existing or happening; SYN. reason, grounds.
2. Events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something.
ETYM Old Eng. ground, grund, as. grund; akin to Dutch grond, os., German, Swed., and Dan. grund, Icel. grunnr bottom, Goth. grundus (in composition); perh. orig. meaning, dust, gravel, and if so perh. akin to Eng. grind.
1. The earth; soil.
2. A solid basis upon which something is constructed (literally or figuratively).
3. A position to be won or defended in battle (or as if in battle).
4. A relatively neutral area extending back of the figure on which attention is focused; SYN. background, backdrop.
5. (Art) The surface (as a wall or canvas) prepared to take the paint for a painting.
ETYM Old Eng. maistre, maister, Old Fren. maistre, mestre, French maître, from Latin magister, orig. a double comparative from the root of magnus great, akin to Greek megas. Related to Maestro, Magister, Magistrate, Magnitude, Major, Mister, Mistress, Mickle.
1. One who directs the work of other; especially, one who directs slaves.
2. One who controls a domain or an activity.
3. An authority qualified to teach apprentices; SYN. professional.
4. The owner of a pet.
5. An officer who is licensed to command a merchant ship; SYN. captain, sea captain, skipper.
6. An original (audio recording) from which copies can be made; SYN. master copy, original.
7. Holds masters degree from academic institution.
ETYM Old Eng. matere, French matičre, from Latin materia; perh. akin to Latin mater mother. Related to Mother, Madeira, Material.
In physics, anything that has mass and can be detected and measured. All matter is made up of atoms, which in turn are made up of elementary particles; it exists ordinarily as a solid, liquid, or gas. The history of science and philosophy is largely taken up with accounts of theories of matter, ranging from the hard “atoms” of Democritus to the “waves” of modern quantum theory.
1. Substance; material.
2. Importance; significance.
3. The subject at hand; a topic.
4. A vaguely specified concern; SYN. affair, thing.
5. A problem.
6. Written material (especially in books or magazines); SYN. material.
7. (Used with negation) Having consequence.
ETYM Old Eng. resoun, French raison, from Latin ratio (akin to Goth. rathjô number, account, garathjan to count, German rede speech, reden to speak), from reri, ratus, to reckon, believe, think. Related to Arraign, Rate, Ratio, Ration.
1. A fact that logically justifies some premise or conclusion.
2. A rational motive for a belief or action; SYN. ground.
3. An explanation of the cause of some phenomenon.
4. The capacity for rational thought or inference or discrimination; SYN. understanding, intellect.
Bad G. (Harz), Bergstadt u. Kurort in Nds., 3000 Ew.; Heilquelle; in der Nähe Iberger Tropfsteinhöhle.
1. (Chemistry) Of or denoting or of the nature of or containing a base.
2. Pertaining to or constituting a base or basis.
3. Reduced to the simplest and most significant form possible without loss of generality; SYN. canonic, canonical.
4. Serving as a base or starting point; SYN. introductory.
With respect to territory.