Abase

Pronunciation: /əˈbeɪs/

Definitions of abase

verb to behave in a way that belittles or degrades someone

Example Sentences

A1 She felt abased when her boss yelled at her in front of everyone.

A2 The bully tried to abase his classmates by making fun of their appearance.

B1 The dictator's oppressive regime sought to abase its citizens and suppress any form of dissent.

B2 The celebrity's scandalous behavior abased her reputation in the eyes of the public.

C1 The politician's corrupt actions abased the integrity of the entire government.

C2 The author's controversial novel aimed to abase societal norms and challenge readers' perspectives.

Examples of abase in a Sentence

formal The politician refused to abase himself in front of the media.

informal She didn't want to abase herself by asking for help.

slang He would rather eat dirt than abase himself in front of his friends.

figurative The artist refused to abase his artistic integrity for commercial success.

Grammatical Forms of abase

• past tense: abased
• plural: abases
• comparative: more abasing
• superlative: most abasing
• present tense: abases
• future tense: will abase
• perfect tense: has abased
• continuous tense: is abasing
• singular: abase
• positive degree: abase
• infinitive: abase
• gerund: abasing
• participle: abased

Origin and Evolution of abase

First Known Use: 1300 year

Language of Origin: Middle English/Old French

Story behind the word: The word 'abase' originated from Middle English 'abaisen' which came from Old French 'abesser' meaning 'bring down, lower in value or rank'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'abase' has retained its original meaning of lowering in value or rank, but it has also come to be used more broadly to describe the act of humiliating or degrading someone.