*se*

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Abased p. pr. & vb. n. Abasing. ] [ F. abaisser, LL. abassare, abbassare ; ad + bassare, fr. bassus low. See Base, a. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To lower or depress; to throw or cast down; as, to abase the eye. [ Archaic ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Saying so, he abased his lance. Shelton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cast down or reduce low or lower, as in rank, office, condition in life, or estimation of worthiness; to depress; to humble; to degrade. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased. Luke xiv. ll. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To Abase, Debase, Degrade. These words agree in the idea of bringing down from a higher to a lower state. Abase has reference to a bringing down in condition or feelings; as, to abase the proud, to abase one's self before God. Debase has reference to the bringing down of a thing in purity, or making it base. It is, therefore, always used in a bad sense, as, to debase the coin of the kingdom, to debase the mind by vicious indulgence, to debase one's style by coarse or vulgar expressions. Degrade has reference to a bringing down from some higher grade or from some standard. Thus, a priest is degraded from the clerical office. When used in a moral sense, it denotes a bringing down in character and just estimation; as, degraded by intemperance, a degrading employment, etc. “Art is degraded when it is regarded only as a trade.” [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Lowered; humbled. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Her.) [ F. abaissé. ] Borne lower than usual, as a fess; also, having the ends of the wings turned downward towards the point of the shield. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Abjectly; downcastly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. abaissement. ] The act of abasing, humbling, or bringing low; the state of being abased or humbled; humiliation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. He who, or that which, abases. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Provided with an abatis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Abortment; abortion. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. abrasus, p. p. of abradere. See Abrade. ] Rubbed smooth. [ Obs. ] “An abrase table.” B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. L. absentia. See Absent. ] 1. A state of being absent or withdrawn from a place or from companionship; -- opposed to presence. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence. Phil. ii. 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Want; destitution; withdrawal. “In the absence of conventional law.” Kent. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Inattention to things present; abstraction (of mind); as, absence of mind. “Reflecting on the little absences and distractions of mankind.” Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

To conquer that abstraction which is called absence. Landor. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F., fr. absens, absentis, p. pr. of abesse to be away from; ab + esse to be. Cf. Sooth. ] 1. Being away from a place; withdrawn from a place; not present. “Expecting absent friends.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Not existing; lacking; as, the part was rudimental or absent. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Inattentive to what is passing; absent-minded; preoccupied; as, an absent air. [ 1913 Webster ]

What is commonly called an absent man is commonly either a very weak or a very affected man. Chesterfield. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Absent, Abstracted. These words both imply a lack of attention to surrounding objects. We speak of a man as absent when his thoughts wander unconsciously from present scenes or topics of discourse; we speak of him as abstracted when his mind (usually for a brief period) is drawn off from present things by some weighty matter for reflection. Absence of mind is usually the result of loose habits of thought; abstraction commonly arises either from engrossing interests and cares, or from unfortunate habits of association. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Absented; p. pr. & vb. n. Absenting. ] [ Cf. F. absenter. ] 1. To take or withdraw (one's self) to such a distance as to prevent intercourse; -- used with the reflexive pronoun. [ 1913 Webster ]

If after due summons any member absents himself, he is to be fined. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To withhold from being present. [ Obs. ] “Go; for thy stay, not free, absents thee more.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ LL. absentaneus. See absent ] Pertaining to absence. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of absenting one's self. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who absents himself from his country, office, post, or duty; especially, a landholder who lives in another country or district than that where his estate is situated; as, an Irish absentee. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or practice of an absentee; esp. the practice of absenting one's self from the country or district where one's estate is situated. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who absents one's self. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an absent or abstracted manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being absent; withdrawal. [ R. ] Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Absent in mind; abstracted; preoccupied. -- Ab`sent-mind"ed*ness, n. -- Ab`sent-mind"ed*ly, adv. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being absent-minded. H. Miller. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An A-B-C book; a primer. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To absterge; to cleanse; to purge away. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. abstrusus, p. p. of abstrudere to thrust away, conceal; ab, abs + trudere to thrust; cf. F. abstrus. See Threat. ] 1. Concealed or hidden out of the way. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The eternal eye whose sight discerns
Abstrusest thoughts. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Remote from apprehension; difficult to be comprehended or understood; recondite; as, abstruse learning. [ 1913 Webster ]

Profound and abstruse topics. Milman. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an abstruse manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being abstruse; difficulty of apprehension. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. abus, L. abusus, fr. abuti. See Abuse, v. t. ] 1. Improper treatment or use; application to a wrong or bad purpose; misuse; as, an abuse of our natural powers; an abuse of civil rights, or of privileges or advantages; an abuse of language. [ 1913 Webster ]

Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty, as well as by the abuses of power. Madison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Physical ill treatment; injury. “Rejoice . . . at the abuse of Falstaff.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A corrupt practice or custom; offense; crime; fault; as, the abuses in the civil service. [ 1913 Webster ]

Abuse after disappeared without a struggle.. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Vituperative words; coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; virulent condemnation; reviling. [ 1913 Webster ]

The two parties, after exchanging a good deal of abuse, came to blows. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Violation; rape; as, abuse of a female child. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Or is it some abuse, and no such thing? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Abuse of distress (Law), a wrongful using of an animal or chattel distrained, by the distrainer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Invective; contumely; reproach; scurrility; insult; opprobrium. -- Abuse, Invective. Abuse is generally prompted by anger, and vented in harsh and unseemly words. It is more personal and coarse than invective. Abuse generally takes place in private quarrels; invective in writing or public discussions. Invective may be conveyed in refined language and dictated by indignation against what is blameworthy. C. J. Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Abused p. pr. & vb. n. Abusing. ] [ F. abuser; L. abusus, p. p. of abuti to abuse, misuse; ab + uti to use. See Use. ] 1. To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to misuse; to put to a bad use; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert; as, to abuse inherited gold; to make an excessive use of; as, to abuse one's authority. [ 1913 Webster ]

This principle (if one may so abuse the word) shoots rapidly into popularity. Froude. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To use ill; to maltreat; to act injuriously to; to punish or to tax excessively; to hurt; as, to abuse prisoners, to abuse one's powers, one's patience. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To revile; to reproach coarsely; to disparage. [ 1913 Webster ]

The . . . tellers of news abused the general. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To dishonor. “Shall flight abuse your name?” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To violate; to ravish. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To deceive; to impose on. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Their eyes red and staring, cozened with a moist cloud, and abused by a double object. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To maltreat; injure; revile; reproach; vilify; vituperate; asperse; traduce; malign. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of abuse; abusive. [ R. ] “Abuseful names.” Bp. Barlow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who abuses [ in the various senses of the verb ]. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Gr. &unr_;; 'a priv. + &unr_; stalk or L. caulis stalk. See Cole. ] (Bot.) Same as Acaulescent. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Acipenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F.., fem. of accoucher. ] A midwife. [ Recent ] Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ OE. acursien, acorsien; pref. a + cursien to curse. See Curse. ] To devote to destruction; to imprecate misery or evil upon; to curse; to execrate; to anathematize. [ 1913 Webster ]

And the city shall be accursed. Josh. vi. 17. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thro' you, my life will be accurst. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } p. p. & a. Doomed to destruction or misery; cursed; hence, bad enough to be under the curse; execrable; detestable; exceedingly hateful; -- as, an accursed deed. Shak. -- Ac*curs"ed*ly, adv. -- Ac*curs"ed*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Accusation. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Accused p. pr. & vb. n. Accusing. ] [ OF. acuser, F. accuser, L. accusare, to call to account, accuse; ad + causa cause, lawsuit. Cf. Cause. ] 1. To charge with, or declare to have committed, a crime or offense; (Law) to charge with an offense, judicially or by a public process; -- with of; as, to accuse one of a high crime or misdemeanor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. Acts xxiv. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

We are accused of having persuaded Austria and Sardinia to lay down their arms. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To charge with a fault; to blame; to censure. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another. Rom. ii. 15. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To betray; to show. [ R. ] Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To charge; blame; censure; reproach; criminate; indict; impeach; arraign. -- To Accuse, Charge, Impeach, Arraign. These words agree in bringing home to a person the imputation of wrongdoing. To accuse is a somewhat formal act, and is applied usually (though not exclusively) to crimes; as, to accuse of treason. Charge is the most generic. It may refer to a crime, a dereliction of duty, a fault, etc.; more commonly it refers to moral delinquencies; as, to charge with dishonesty or falsehood. To arraign is to bring (a person) before a tribunal for trial; as, to arraign one before a court or at the bar public opinion. To impeach is officially to charge with misbehavior in office; as, to impeach a minister of high crimes. Both impeach and arraign convey the idea of peculiar dignity or impressiveness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Charged with offense; as, an accused person. [ 1913 Webster ]