\A*base"\ ([.a]*b[=a]s"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Abased}
([.a]*b[=a]st"); p. pr. & vb. n. {Abasing}.] [F. abaisser,
LL. abassare, abbassare; ad + bassare, fr. bassus low. See
{Base}, a.]
1. To lower or depress; to throw or cast down; as, to abase
   the eye. [Archaic] --Bacon.
         Saying so, he abased his lance.       --Shelton.
2. To cast down or reduce low or lower, as in rank, office,
   condition in life, or estimation of worthiness; to
   depress; to humble; to degrade.
         Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased. --Luke
                                               xiv. ll.
Syn: To {Abase}, {Debase}, {Degrade}. These words agree in
     the idea of bringing down from a higher to a lower
     state. Abase has reference to a bringing down in
     condition or feelings; as, to abase the proud, to abase
     one's self before God. Debase has reference to the
     bringing down of a thing in purity, or making it base.
     It is, therefore, always used in a bad sense, as, to
     debase the coin of the kingdom, to debase the mind by
     vicious indulgence, to debase one's style by coarse or
     vulgar expressions. Degrade has reference to a bringing
     down from some higher grade or from some standard. Thus,
     a priest is degraded from the clerical office. When used
     in a moral sense, it denotes a bringing down in
     character and just estimation; as, degraded by
     intemperance, a degrading employment, etc. ``Art is
     degraded when it is regarded only as a trade.''