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base

/beɪs/
nounverbadjective

BASE Scrabble score is 6 points; BASE means a foundation or starting point and has two anagrams.

NWL Collins ENABLE

Noun 4 meanings

  1. Something from which other things extend; a foundation.

  2. The starting point of a logical deduction or thought; basis.

  3. A site, structure, or both, usually durable and often permanent, for housing military personnel and materiel.

  4. The place where decisions for an organization are made; headquarters.

Verb 3 meanings

  1. To give as its foundation or starting point; to lay the foundation of.

  2. To be located (at a particular place).

    “Troops have been based in Munich since the end of World War II.”

  3. To act as a base; to be the person supporting the flyer.

Adjective 4 meanings

  1. Low in place or position.

  2. Morally reprehensible, immoral; cowardly.

  3. Not considered precious or noble.

  4. Alloyed with inferior metal; debased.

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

Etymology

From Middle English base, bas, baas, from Old French base, from Latin basis, from Ancient Greek βάσις (básis). Doublet of basis and bass.

Similar and opposite words

Similar
seatradixsubstructurealkaligroundlowlandabjectfilthy
Opposite
superstructureacidapexlikeabledesirableadmirable

BASE is a familiar four-letter word with a concrete meaning and a useful spread of letter links. Its ordinary senses cover both foundations and starting points, while its tiles add up to 6 Scrabble points. CASE and EASE are close neighbours, and the same four letters make two anagrams.

BASE at a glance

  • BASE is marked common, with a frequency count of 29,547.
  • Its Scrabble tile total is 6: B contributes 3, while A, S, and E add 1 apiece.
  • SABE and BAES are the two anagrams formed from the same letters.
  • CASE and EASE are among BASE's 22 one-letter neighbours.

What does BASE mean?

BASE means a foundation or starting point: a building can stand on a base, and a line of reasoning can begin from one. It can also mean a military site or structure for personnel and equipment. Each sense points to something that supports or begins activity.

BASE has a frequency rank of 904 and a count of 29,547, fitting its familiar everyday use. The same spelling works for both a physical support and an idea's starting premise, while SABE and BAES are much less familiar rearrangements.

What is the BASE Scrabble score?

The BASE Scrabble score comes from B at 3 points plus A, S, and E at 1 each, for 6 before board-square bonuses. B supplies half the tile total, so a premium square on B matters more than one on any of the three single-point tiles.

One-letter neighbours include CASE and EASE, which change the first letter, and BASS, which changes the last. The set has 22 entries, but many are less familiar than BASE; check your game's word list before relying on an unusual option.

BASE has 12 listed rhymes, including CASE, CHASE, PHASE, PLEASE, and RELEASE. That rhyme group offers more choices than its two anagrams, so rhyme clues give you more routes than rearranging the same four letters.

The anagrams are SABE and BAES, each using B, A, S, and E once. For scoring, judge the board placement rather than assuming a four-letter rearrangement will outscore BASE.

Rhymes with base

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One letter away

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Questions people ask

What does BASE mean?
BASE means a foundation, starting point, or military site. In ordinary use, “a solid base” names support, while “the base of an argument” names its starting premise. Its three senses all point to a place or idea that supports or begins something.
How many points is BASE in Scrabble?
BASE scores 6 points in Scrabble before board premiums. B is worth 3, and A, S, and E are worth 1 each, so B accounts for half of the tile total. A letter bonus on B changes the word's value more than the same bonus on any other tile.
What are the anagrams of BASE?
The two anagrams are SABE and BAES. Both use B, A, S, and E exactly once, but they are much less familiar than BASE. The anagram set is small beside BASE's 22 one-letter neighbours, which include familiar words such as CASE and EASE.

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