Part 537

Ba"sal (&?;), a. Relating to, or forming, the base.

Basal cleavage. See under Cleavage. -- Basal plane (Crystallog.), one parallel to the lateral or horizontal axis.

Ba"sal-nerved` (&?;), a. (Bot.) Having the nerves radiating from the base; -- said of leaves.

Ba*salt" (&?;), n. [L. basaltes (an African word), a dark and hard species of marble found in Ethiopia: cf. F. basalte.] 1. (Geol.) A rock of igneous origin, consisting of augite and triclinic feldspar, with grains of magnetic or titanic iron, and also bottle-green particles of olivine frequently disseminated.

It is usually of a greenish black color, or of some dull brown shade, or black. It constitutes immense beds in some regions, and also occurs in veins or dikes cutting through other rocks. It has often a prismatic structure as at the Giant's Causeway, in Ireland, where the columns are as regular as if the work of art. It is a very tough and heavy rock, and is one of the best materials for macadamizing roads.

2. An imitation, in pottery, of natural basalt; a kind of black porcelain.

Ba*salt"ic (&?;), a. [Cf. F. basaltique.] Pertaining to basalt; formed of, or containing, basalt; as basaltic lava.

Ba*salt"i*form (&?;), a. [Basalt + -form.] In the form of basalt; columnar.

Ba*salt"oid (&?;), a. [Basalt + - oid.] Formed like basalt; basaltiform.

Bas"an (&?;), n. Same as Basil, a sheepskin.

Bas"a*nite (&?;), n. [L. basanites lapis, Gr. ba`sanos the touchstone: cf. F. basanite.] (Min.) Lydian stone, or black jasper, a variety of siliceous or flinty slate, of a grayish or bluish black color. It is employed to test the purity of gold, the amount of alloy being indicated by the color left on the stone when rubbed by the metal.

||Bas`bleu" (&?;), n. [F., fr. bas stocking + bleu blue.] A bluestocking; a literary woman. [Somewhat derisive]

Bas"ci*net (&?;), n. [OE. bacinet, basnet, OF. bassinet, bacinet, F. bassinet, dim. of OF. bacin, F. bassin, a helmet in the form of a basin.] A light helmet, at first open, but later made with a visor. [Written also basinet, bassinet, basnet.]

Bas"cule (bs"kl), n. [F., a seesaw.] In mechanics, an apparatus on the principle of the seesaw, in which one end rises as the other falls.

Bascule bridge, a counterpoise or balanced drawbridge, which is opened by sinking the counterpoise and thus lifting the footway into the air.

Base (bs), a. [OE. bass, F. bas, low, fr. LL. bassus thick, fat, short, humble; cf. L. Bassus, a proper name, and W. bas shallow. Cf. Bass a part in music.] 1. Of little, or less than the usual, height; of low growth; as, base shrubs. [Archaic] Shak.

2. Low in place or position. [Obs.] Shak.

3. Of humble birth; or low degree; lowly; mean. [Archaic] "A peasant and base swain." Bacon.

4. Illegitimate by birth; bastard. [Archaic]

Why bastard? wherefore base? Shak.

5. Of little comparative value, as metal inferior to gold and silver, the precious metals.

6. Alloyed with inferior metal; debased; as, base coin; base bullion.

7. Morally low. Hence: Low-minded; unworthy; without dignity of sentiment; ignoble; mean; illiberal; menial; as, a base fellow; base motives; base occupations. "A cruel act of a base and a cowardish mind." Robynson (More's Utopia). "Base ingratitude." Milton.

8. Not classical or correct. "Base Latin." Fuller.

9. Deep or grave in sound; as, the base tone of a violin. [In this sense, commonly written bass.]

10. (Law) Not held by honorable service; as, a base estate, one held by services not honorable; held by villenage. Such a tenure is called base, or low, and the tenant, a base tenant.

Base fee, formerly, an estate held at the will of the lord; now, a qualified fee. See note under Fee, n., 4. -- Base metal. See under Metal.

Syn. -- Dishonorable; worthless; ignoble; low-minded; infamous; sordid; degraded. -- Base, Vile, Mean. These words, as expressing moral qualities, are here arranged in the order of their strength, the strongest being placed first. Base marks a high degree of moral turpitude; vile and mean denote, in different degrees, the want of what is valuable or worthy of esteem. What is base excites our abhorrence; what is vile provokes our disgust or indignation; what is mean awakens contempt. Base is opposed to high-minded; vile, to noble; mean, to liberal or generous. Ingratitude is base; sycophancy is vile; undue compliances are mean.