Word: base (noun, verb, adjective)

Associations

The word "base" has several meanings depending on context. Most commonly, it means:

• As a noun: the bottom or foundation of something.
• As a verb: to use something as a starting point or foundation.
• As an adjective: low in quality or morally bad.

Examples:

• Noun: "The base of the statue is made of stone." (foundation)
• Verb: "We base our decision on facts." (use as a foundation)
• Adjective: "He showed base behavior by lying." (morally low)

Synonym difference:

• As a noun, "base" is similar to "foundation," but "foundation" usually means a stronger, more permanent support.
• As a verb, "base" is similar to "ground," but "ground" is less formal.
• As an adjective, "base" is similar to "mean" or "vile," but "base" often sounds more formal or literary.

Substitution

Depending on meaning, you can use:

• Noun: foundation, bottom, support
• Verb: ground, establish, found
• Adjective: mean, low, vile

Changing the word changes the tone or exact meaning. For example, "foundation" sounds stronger than "base" as a noun.

Deconstruction

The word "base" comes from Latin "basis" meaning "foundation" or "step." It entered English through Old French. It is a short word with no prefix or suffix. Its meaning as foundation is very old.

Inquiry

• Can you think of something in your life that has a "base" or foundation?
• How would you "base" a decision on facts? What does that mean?
• When have you seen someone act in a "base" way? What happened?

Thinking about these can help you understand and remember the word better.