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The quality or condition of being base; degradation; vileness. I once did hold it a baseness to write fair. Shak.

or downcast state; meanness of spirit; abasement; degradation. That this should be termed baseness, abjection of mind, or servility, is it credible Hooker.

To deprive of. [Obs.] When baseness is exalted, do not bate The place its honor for the person's sake. Herbert.

ort, hold up, or maintain with difficulty or unusual effort; -- often with up. To bolster baseness. Drayton. Shoddy inventions designed to bolster up a factitious pride. Compton Reade.

The state of being reduced in rank, character, or reputation; baseness; moral, physical, or intellectual degeneracy; disgrace; abasement; debasement. The . . . degradation of a needy man of letters. Macaulay. Deplorable is the degradation of our nature. South. Moments there frequently must be, when a sidegradation of h…

The state of being dirty; filthiness; foulness; nastiness; baseness; sordidness.

One who executes or performs; a doer; as, an executor of baseness. Shak.

A quality which exposes to disgrace; extreme baseness or vileness; as, the infamy of an action.

the magnet; the inherent right of men to life, liberty, and protection. "A most inherent baseness." Shak. The sore disease which seems inherent in civilization. Southey.

nstigating, or the state of being instigated; incitement; esp. to evil or wickedness. The baseness and villainy that . . . the instigation of the devil could bring the sons of men to. South.

The quality of being lowminded; meanness; baseness.

The condition, or quality, of being mean; want of excellence; poorness; lowness; baseness; sordidness; stinginess. This figure is of a later date, by the meanness of the workmanship. Addison.

The practices or conduct of a scoundrel; baseness; rascality. Cotgrave.

shment, to be stigmatized and bored through in witness of their own voluntary and beloved baseness. Milton.

eagle, sharp by fast, Tires with her beak on feathers, flesh, and bone. Shak. Ye dregs of baseness, vultures among men, That tire upon the hearts of generous spirits. B. Jonson.

ng the form and manner of them [prayers], to bring them into contempt. Hooker. He had the baseness . . . to traduce me in libel. Dryden.

Inherent baseness or vileness of principle, words, or actions; shameful wickedness; depravity. Shak.

surpassing; -- in a good or bad sense; as, unequaled excellence; unequaled ingratitude or baseness. [Written also unequalled.]

Vileness; baseness. [Obs.] Kennet.

Baseness; infamy; villainy. [Obs.] Dryden.