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# base

«base» in Mova's school dictionary: **its bottom part or the part it stands on** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a base, bases); verb (base, bases, based, basing); adjective (base, rare: base metals)

### meaning for a pupil

1) The base of something is its bottom part or the part it stands on. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#m1)

2) A base is a main place where people live or work from, like a camp or army base, or the safe spot in a game. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#m2)

3) In maths, the base of a shape is the side or face it sits on. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#m3)

4) In maths, a number system has a base, like base ten. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#m4)

5) In science, a base is a chemical that is the opposite of an acid, like soap or baking soda. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#m5)

6) In baseball and rounders, a base is one of the places a runner must reach. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#m6)

7) To base something on another thing means to use it as the starting point, like a film based on a book. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#m7)

8) Base can also describe something low, mean or dishonourable, such as a base act. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#m8)

### sense in the lessons

In maths: the base of a triangle or prism; area of a triangle = half × base × height; base ten (ones, tens, hundreds); in 10 squared, 10 is the base. In science: acids and bases, the pH scale (bases are above 7). In games like tag, «base» is the safe place. In stories: «based on a true story». Phrases: «at the base of», «base camp», «based on», «touch base» (get in contact), «off base» (wrong).

### examples

- The lamp has a heavy base so it won't fall over. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#x1)
- We had a picnic at the base of the mountain. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#x2)
- Measure the base and the height of the triangle. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#x3)
- Our number system is base ten. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#x4)
- Soap is a base, and lemon juice is an acid. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#x5)
- She ran to second base. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#x6)
- In tag, you are safe when you are on base. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#x7)
- The film is based on a book by Roald Dahl. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#x8)
- The explorers set up a base camp. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#x9)
- "My husband," answered the wife, "beware, I pray, of your doing anything so base! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/#x10)

### note

Homophone: «bass» (a low sound or guitar, said the same) — but «bass» the fish is said «bas». Plural «bases» (said BAY-siz) is also the plural of «basis». In area problems, the base and height must be at right angles to each other.

### In the corpora

- [The "10,000 hours" idea was made famous by the writer Malcolm Gladwell, based on research by the psychologist Anders Ericsson.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/arts/3-practising-when-you-would-rather-not/9/)
- [It has to be based on evidence.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/19-prediction-what-happens-next/4/)
- [A prediction is a sensible guess about what will happen next, based on clues.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/19-prediction-what-happens-next/12/)
- [Standing with your feet apart gives you a wider base and better balance.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/2-balance-and-falling-well/8/)
- [Most cats like to be stroked on the cheeks, under the chin and at the base of the ears.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/23-understanding-cats/14/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «base» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/base/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.