'Debase' definitions:
Definition of 'debase'
(from WordNet)
verb
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" [syn: corrupt, pervert, subvert, demoralize, demoralise, debauch, debase, profane, vitiate, deprave, misdirect]
verb
Lower in value by increasing the base-metal content [syn: debase, alloy]
verb
Corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones; "adulterate liquor" [syn: load, adulterate, stretch, dilute, debase]
Definition of 'Debase'
From: GCIDE
- Debase \De*base"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Debased; p. pr. & vb. n. Debasing.] [Pref. de- + base. See Base, a., and cf. Abase.] To reduce from a higher to a lower state or grade of worth, dignity, purity, station, etc.; to degrade; to lower; to deteriorate; to abase; as, to debase the character by crime; to debase the mind by frivolity; to debase style by vulgar words. [1913 Webster]
- The coin which was adulterated and debased. --Hale. [1913 Webster]
- It is a kind of taking God's name in vain to debase religion with such frivolous disputes. --Hooker. [1913 Webster]
- And to debase the sons, exalts the sires. --Pope.
- Syn: To abase; degrade. See Abase. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'debase'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abase,
- abash,
- abuse,
- adulterate,
- alloy,
- bastardize,
- bear down,
- befoul,
- belittle,
- bring down,
- bring into discredit,
- bring low,
- bring shame upon,
- brutalize,
- bump,
- bust,
- canker,
- cast down,
- cast reproach upon,
- cheapen,
- coarsen,
- commercialize,
- confound,
- contaminate,
- convert,
- corrupt,
- couch,
- cripple,
- crush,
- cry down,
- cut,
- damage,
- debauch,
- debilitate,
- decry,
- defalcate,
- defile,
- deflower,
- defrock,
- degenerate,
- degrade,
- demean,
- demoralize,
- demote,
- denaturalize,
- denature,
- deplume,
- deprave,
- deprecate,
- depreciate,
- depress,
- derogate from,
- desecrate,
- despoil,
- detract from,
- detrude,
- devalue,
- dilute,
- diminish,
- disable,
- disapprove of,
- discredit,
- disgrace,
- disgrade,
- dishonor,
- disparage,
- displume,
- distort,
- divert,
- doctor,
- doctor up,
- downbear,
- downgrade,
- dump,
- dump on,
- embezzle,
- enfeeble,
- fortify,
- foul,
- harm,
- haul down,
- hold in contempt,
- humble,
- humiliate,
- impair,
- impute shame to,
- indent,
- infect,
- injure,
- knock,
- lace,
- let down,
- load,
- lower,
- make little of,
- maladminister,
- mar,
- minimize,
- misapply,
- misappropriate,
- misemploy,
- mishandle,
- mismanage,
- misuse,
- peculate,
- pervert,
- pilfer,
- pillory,
- poison,
- pollute,
- press down,
- profane,
- prostitute,
- pull down,
- push down,
- put down,
- put to shame,
- ravage,
- ravish,
- reduce,
- reflect discredit upon,
- reproach,
- rot,
- run down,
- sap,
- set down,
- shame,
- sink,
- slight,
- sophisticate,
- speak ill of,
- spike,
- spoil,
- stain,
- strip of rank,
- submit to indignity,
- taint,
- take down,
- tamper with,
- thrust down,
- trip up,
- twist,
- ulcerate,
- undermine,
- unfrock,
- violate,
- vitiate,
- vulgarize,
- warp,
- water,
- water down,
- weaken,
- weight,
- worsen