base
B1Neutral
Definition
Meaning
The lowest part or support of something; a foundation or starting point.
The main place from which an organisation operates; a centre of activity. In chemistry, a substance that reacts with an acid to form a salt. In mathematics, the number on which a place‑value system is constructed. In baseball, one of the four stations a player must touch to score.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word is highly polysemous. Its concrete meaning ('bottom support') extends metaphorically to ideas of origin, headquarters, and fundamental principles. In chemistry and mathematics it has precise technical definitions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning. In military contexts, both use 'base', but the US tends to use it more broadly for any permanent installation. In baseball, the term is identical.
Connotations
In business contexts, 'base' can sound slightly more operational/military in British English; Americans may use it more casually for 'home office'.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
base something on/upon somethingbe based in/at somewherebase yourself somewhereVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “touch base”
- “off base”
- “cover all the bases”
- “get to first base”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the main location of operations or the fundamental group of customers (e.g., 'Our customer base is expanding').
Academic
Used in sciences (chemistry: 'The base neutralised the acid'), mathematics ('base‑10 system'), and figuratively ('The argument lacks a solid base').
Everyday
Common for physical supports ('the base of the lamp'), origins ('base your decision on facts'), and home ('I'm based in London').
Technical
In computing: a database; in electronics: the terminal of a transistor; in geometry: the side on which a polygon stands.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The new policy is based upon extensive consultation.
- The company is based in Manchester.
American English
- The movie is based on a true story.
- We're basing our sales strategy on last year's data.
adjective
British English
- The base ingredients are flour and water.
- He was driven by base motives of greed.
American English
- She earns a base salary of $50,000.
- The metal is a base metal, not precious.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The lamp has a wide base.
- The climbers returned to their base camp.
- The company has its base in Frankfurt.
- The story is based on real events.
- The theory rests on a shaky factual base.
- They decided to base themselves in Prague for the summer.
- The argument was base and unworthy of a public debate.
- The solution's pH indicated it was a strong base.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BASEball player running from BASE to BASE – each base is a starting point for the next move.
Conceptual Metaphor
IDEAS ARE BUILDINGS (a theory needs a solid base); ORGANISATIONS ARE ARMIES (headquarters = base of operations).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'basis' (основание, база) – 'base' чаще физическая или операционная база, 'basis' – абстрактная основа.
- В химии 'base' – щёлочь, а не просто 'основание'.
- 'База данных' – calque, правильно 'database'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'base' as a verb without 'on/upon' (✗'She based her research previous studies' → ✓'...based her research on previous studies').
- Confusing 'base' (foundation) with 'bass' (low sound/fish).
Practice
Quiz
In chemistry, a 'base' is a substance that:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be all three. As a noun: 'the base of the statue'. As a verb: 'base your answer on the text'. As an adjective: 'base metal'.
'Base' is often physical or operational (military base, customer base). 'Basis' is abstract, meaning the foundation of an idea or argument ('on a daily basis', 'the basis of the theory').
It rhymes with 'case' and 'face' (/beɪs/). Be careful not to confuse it with 'bass' (fish/low sound), which is pronounced /bæs/ or /beɪs/ depending on meaning.
It's an idiom meaning to make brief contact with someone, often to update or check in ('Let's touch base next week to discuss progress').