abased








adjective Heraldry.

  1. (of a charge) lower on an escutcheon than is usual: a bend abased.

verb (used with object), a·based, a·bas·ing.

  1. to reduce or lower, as in rank, office, reputation, or estimation; humble; degrade.
  2. Archaic. to lower; put or bring down: He abased his head.

verb (tr)

  1. to humble or belittle (oneself, etc)
  2. to lower or reduce, as in rank or estimation
v.

late 14c., abaishen, from Old French abaissier “diminish, make lower in value or status” (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *ad bassiare “bring lower,” from Late Latin bassus “thick, fat, low;” from the same source as base (adj.) and altered 16c. in English by influence of it, which made it an exception to the rule that Old French verbs with stem -iss- enter English as -ish. Related: Abased; abasing.

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