debase
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de·base
(dĭ-bās′)tr.v. de·based, de·bas·ing, de·bas·es
To lower in character, quality, or value; degrade.
de·base′ment n.
de·bas′er n.
Synonyms: debase, degrade, abase, demean2
These verbs mean to lower in character or quality. Debase implies reduction in quality or value: "debasing the moral currency" (George Eliot).
Degrade implies reduction to a state of shame or disgrace: "If I pitied you for crying ... you should spurn such pity.... Rise, and don't degrade yourself into an abject reptile!" (Emily Brontë).
Abase refers principally to loss of rank or prestige: "Meg pardoned him, and Mrs. March's grave face relaxed ... when she heard him declare that he would ... abase himself like a worm before the injured damsel" (Louisa May Alcott).
Demean suggests lowering in social position: "It puts him where he can make the advances without demeaning himself" (William Dean Howells). See Also Synonyms at corrupt.
These verbs mean to lower in character or quality. Debase implies reduction in quality or value: "debasing the moral currency" (George Eliot).
Degrade implies reduction to a state of shame or disgrace: "If I pitied you for crying ... you should spurn such pity.... Rise, and don't degrade yourself into an abject reptile!" (Emily Brontë).
Abase refers principally to loss of rank or prestige: "Meg pardoned him, and Mrs. March's grave face relaxed ... when she heard him declare that he would ... abase himself like a worm before the injured damsel" (Louisa May Alcott).
Demean suggests lowering in social position: "It puts him where he can make the advances without demeaning himself" (William Dean Howells). See Also Synonyms at corrupt.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
debase
(dɪˈbeɪs)vb
(Metallurgy) (tr) to lower in quality, character, or value, as by adding cheaper metal to coins; adulterate
[C16: see de-, base2]
debasedness n
deˈbasement n
deˈbaser n
deˈbasingly adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
de•base
(dɪˈbeɪs)v.t. -based, -bas•ing.
1. to reduce in quality or value.
2. to lower in rank or dignity.
de•bas′ed•ness, n.
de•base′ment, n.
de•bas′er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
debase
Past participle: debased
Gerund: debasing
| Imperative |
|---|
| debase |
| debase |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. | debase - corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality; "debauch the young people with wine and women"; "Socrates was accused of corrupting young men"; "Do school counselors subvert young children?"; "corrupt the morals" alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" infect - corrupt with ideas or an ideology; "society was infected by racism" lead astray, lead off - teach immoral behavior to; "It was common practice to lead off the young ones, and teach them bad habits" poison - spoil as if by poison; "poison someone's mind"; "poison the atmosphere in the office" suborn - incite to commit a crime or an evil deed; "He suborned his butler to cover up the murder of his wife" |
| 2. |  debase - lower in value by increasing the base-metal contentmetallurgy - the science and technology of metals devalue - lower the value or quality of; "The tear devalues the painting" | |
| 3. | debase - corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones; "adulterate liquor" stretch, extend - increase in quantity or bulk by adding a cheaper substance; "stretch the soup by adding some more cream"; "extend the casserole with a little rice" water down - thin by adding water to; "They watered down the moonshine" doctor, doctor up, sophisticate - alter and make impure, as with the intention to deceive; "Sophisticate rose water with geraniol" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
debase
verb
1. (Formal) corrupt, contaminate, devalue, pollute, impair, taint, depreciate, defile, adulterate, vitiate, bastardize He claims that advertising debases the English language.
corrupt purify
corrupt purify
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
debase
verb2. To make impure or inferior by deceptively adding foreign substances:
3. To ruin utterly in character or quality:
animalize, bastardize, bestialize, brutalize, canker, corrupt, debauch, demoralize, deprave, pervert, stain, vitiate, warp.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
debase
[dɪˈbeɪs] VT1. (= degrade) [+ language] → corromper; [+ person, culture, tradition] → degradar
to debase o.s. (by doing sth) → degradarse (haciendo algo)
to debase o.s. (by doing sth) → degradarse (haciendo algo)
2. (= devalue) [+ currency] → devaluar
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
debase
vt
person → erniedrigen, entwürdigen
virtues, qualities → mindern, herabsetzen
metal → verschlechtern; coinage → den Wert mindern (+gen)
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
debase
[dɪˈbeɪs] vt (person, relationship, word) → degradare, svilire; (coinage) → svilire, adulterareCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995