Definition: bass
Source: WordNet (r) 1.7
bass
adj : having or denoting a low vocal or instrumental range; "a
deep voice"; "a bass voice is lower than a baritone
voice"; "a bass clarinet" [syn: deep]
n 1: the lowest part of the musical range
2: the lowest part in polyphonic music [syn: bass part]
3: an adult male singer with the lowest voice [syn: basso]
4: the lean flesh of a saltwater fish of the family Serranidae
[syn: sea bass]
5: any of various North American freshwater fish with lean
flesh (especially of the genus Micropterus) [syn: freshwater
bass]
6: the lowest adult male singing voice [syn: bass voice, basso]
7: the member with the lowest range of a family of musical
instruments
8: nontechnical name for any of numerous edible marine and
freshwater spiny-finned fishes
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Bass \Bass\, n. [A corruption of bast.]
1. (Bot.) The linden or lime tree, sometimes wrongly called
whitewood; also, its bark, which is used for making
mats. See Bast.
2. (Pron. ?) A hassock or thick mat.
Bass \Bass\, n. [F. basse, fr. bas low. See Base, a.] 1. A bass, or deep, sound or tone. 2. (Mus.) (a) The lowest part in a musical composition. (b) One who sings, or the instrument which plays, bass. [Written also base.] Thorough bass. See Thorough bass.
Bass \Bass\, a. Deep or grave in tone. Bass clef (Mus.), the character placed at the beginning of the staff containing the bass part of a musical composition. [See Illust. under Clef.] Bass voice, a deep-sounding voice; a voice fitted for singing bass.
Bass \Bass\, n.; pl. Bass, and sometimes Basses. [A corruption of barse.] (Zo["o]l.) 1. An edible, spiny-finned fish, esp. of the genera Roccus, Labrax, and related genera. There are many species. Note: The common European bass is Labrax lupus. American species are: the striped bass (Roccus lineatus); white or silver bass of the lakes. (R. chrysops); brass or yellow bass (R. interruptus). 2. The two American fresh-water species of black bass (genus Micropterus). See Black bass. 3. Species of Serranus, the sea bass and rock bass. See Sea bass. 4. The southern, red, or channel bass (Sci[ae]na ocellata). See Redfish. Note: The name is also applied to many other fishes. See Calico bass, under Calico.
Bass \Bass\, v. t. To sound in a deep tone. [R.] --Shak.
5. (Chem.) The positive, or non-acid component of a salt; a
substance which, combined with an acid, neutralizes the
latter and forms a salt; -- applied also to the hydroxides
of the positive elements or radicals, and to certain
organic bodies resembling them in their property of
forming salts with acids.
6. (Pharmacy) The chief ingredient in a compound.
7. (Dyeing) A substance used as a mordant. --Ure.
8. (Fort.) The exterior side of the polygon, or that
imaginary line which connects the salient angles of two
adjacent bastions.
9. (Geom.) The line or surface constituting that part of a
figure on which it is supposed to stand.
10. (Math.) The number from which a mathematical table is
constructed; as, the base of a system of logarithms.
11. [See Base low.] A low, or deep, sound. (Mus.)
(a) The lowest part; the deepest male voice.
(b) One who sings, or the instrument which plays, base.
[Now commonly written bass.]
The trebles squeak for fear, the bases roar.
--Dryden.
12. (Mil.) A place or tract of country, protected by
fortifications, or by natural advantages, from which the
operations of an army proceed, forward movements are
made, supplies are furnished, etc.
13. (Mil.) The smallest kind of cannon. [Obs.]
14. (Zo["o]l.) That part of an organ by which it is attached
to another more central organ.
15. (Crystallog.) The basal plane of a crystal.
16. (Geol.) The ground mass of a rock, especially if not
distinctly crystalline.
17. (Her.) The lower part of the field. See Escutcheon.
18. The housing of a horse. [Obs.]
19. pl. A kind of skirt ( often of velvet or brocade, but
sometimes of mailed armor) which hung from the middle to
about the knees, or lower. [Obs.]
20. The lower part of a robe or petticoat. [Obs.]
21. An apron. [Obs.] ``Bakers in their linen bases.''
--Marston.
22. The point or line from which a start is made; a starting
place or a goal in various games.
To their appointed base they went. --Dryden.
23. (Surv.) A line in a survey which, being accurately
determined in length and position, serves as the origin
from which to compute the distances and positions of any
points or objects connected with it by a system of
triangles. --Lyman.
24. A rustic play; -- called also prisoner's base, prison
base, or bars. ``To run the country base.'' --Shak.
25. (Baseball) Any one of the four bounds which mark the
circuit of the infield.
Altern base. See under Altern.
Attic base. (Arch.) See under Attic.
Base course. (Arch.)
(a) The first or lower course of a foundation wall, made
of large stones of a mass of concrete; -- called also
foundation course.
(b) The architectural member forming the transition
between the basement and the wall above.
Base hit (Baseball), a hit, by which the batsman, without
any error on the part of his opponents, is able to reach
the first base without being put out.
Base line.
(a) A main line taken as a base, as in surveying or in
military operations.
(b) A line traced round a cannon at the rear of the vent.
Base plate, the foundation plate of heavy machinery, as of
the steam engine; the bed plate.
Base ring (Ordnance), a projecting band of metal around the
breech, connected with the body of the gun by a concave
molding. --H. L. Scott.
Base \Base\ (b[=a]s), a. [OE. bass, F. bas, low, fr. LL. bassus
thick, fat, short, humble; cf. L. Bassus, a proper name, and
W. bas shallow. Cf. Bass a part in music.]
1. Of little, or less than the usual, height; of low growth;
as, base shrubs. [Archaic] --Shak.
2. Low in place or position. [Obs.] --Shak.
3. Of humble birth; or low degree; lowly; mean. [Archaic] ``A
pleasant and base swain.'' --Bacon.
4. Illegitimate by birth; bastard. [Archaic]
Why bastard? wherefore base? --Shak.
5. Of little comparative value, as metal inferior to gold and
silver, the precious metals.
6. Alloyed with inferior metal; debased; as, base coin; base
bullion.
7. Morally low. Hence: Low-minded; unworthy; without dignity
of sentiment; ignoble; mean; illiberal; menial; as, a base
fellow; base motives; base occupations. ``A cruel act of a
base and a cowardish mind.'' --Robynson (More's Utopia).
``Base ingratitude.'' --Milton.
8. Not classical or correct. ``Base Latin.'' --Fuller.
9. Deep or grave in sound; as, the base tone of a violin. [In
this sense, commonly written bass.]
10. (Law) Not held by honorable service; as, a base estate,
one held by services not honorable; held by villenage.
Such a tenure is called base, or low, and the tenant, a
base tenant.
Base fee, formerly, an estate held at the will of the lord;
now, a qualified fee. See note under Fee, n., 4.
Base metal. See under Metal.
Syn: Dishonorable; worthless; ignoble; low-minded; infamous;
sordid; degraded.
Usage: Base, Vile, Mean. These words, as expressing
moral qualities, are here arranged in the order of
their strength, the strongest being placed first. Base
marks a high degree of moral turpitude; vile and mean
denote, in different degrees, the want of what is
valuable or worthy of esteem. What is base excites our
abhorrence; what is vile provokes our disgust or
indignation; what is mean awakens contempt. Base is
opposed to high-minded; vile, to noble; mean, to
liberal or generous. Ingratitude is base; sycophancy
is vile; undue compliances are mean.
Source: U.S. Gazetteer (1990)
Bass, AR Zip code(s): 72612
