Debased - English meaning

adjective

Having been deserted or left.

Usage examples:

An abandoned car

verb

Cease to support or look after (someone); desert.

Usage examples:

Her natural mother had abandoned her at an early age

verb

Render (something) poorer in quality by adding another substance.

Usage examples:

The brewer is said to adulterate his beer

adjective

Not pure or genuine.

Usage examples:

Adulterate remedies

verb

To make something weaker or of worse quality by adding something else to it

Usage examples:

Saffron is very expensive, and is often adulterated with other plants.

noun

A metal made by combining two or more metallic elements, especially to give greater strength or resistance to corrosion.

Usage examples:

An alloy of nickel, bronze, and zinc

verb

Mix (metals) to make an alloy.

Usage examples:

Alloying tin with copper to make bronze

noun

A metal that is made by mixing together two or more metals, or a metal and another substance

noun

The lowest part or edge of something, especially the part on which it rests or is supported.

Usage examples:

She sat down at the base of a tree

verb

Use (something specified) as the foundation or starting point for something.

Usage examples:

The film is based on a novel by pat conroy

adjective

Without moral principles; ignoble.

Usage examples:

The electorate's baser instincts of greed and selfishness

verb

Change (something) in such a way as to lower its quality or value, typically by adding new elements.

Usage examples:

Our biggest fear was they were going to take our script and bastardize it

verb

To change something in a way that makes it fail to represent the values and qualities that it is intended to represent

verb

Make or become black or dark, especially as a result of burning, decay, or bruising.

Usage examples:

Stone blackened by the soot of ages

verb

To make something black

Usage examples:

For miles around, trees were blackened by the fire.

noun

A small mark or flaw which spoils the appearance of something.

Usage examples:

The girl's hands were without a blemish

verb

Spoil the appearance or quality of (something).

Usage examples:

His reign as world champion has been blemished by controversy

noun

A mark or fault that spoils the appearance of someone or something

Usage examples:

Makeup can cover up your skin blemishes., only one blemish spoiled her school record.

adjective

Savagely violent.

Usage examples:

A brutal murder

verb

Reduce the price of.

Usage examples:

The depreciation of the dollar would cheapen us exports

verb

To make someone or something seem less valuable and less deserving of respect

Usage examples:

What the author hates about forgeries is that they cheapen true art.

verb

Make (something) impure by exposure to or addition of a poisonous or polluting substance.

Usage examples:

The site was found to be contaminated by radioactivity

verb

To make something less pure or make it poisonous

Usage examples:

The disease can be caused by a variety of viruses, bacteria, and other small organisms that contami…

verb

To make something less pure or make it poisonous

Usage examples:

The government recently reported that 10% of farmland has been destroyed by pollution and that heav…

adjective

Having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain.

Usage examples:

Unscrupulous logging companies assisted by corrupt officials

verb

Cause to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain.

Usage examples:

There is a continuing fear of firms corrupting politicians in the search for contracts

adjective

Dishonest and willing to use your position or power to your own advantage, esp. for money

Usage examples:

It’s been called the most politically corrupt city in the nation., your philosophy is corrupt., pol…

verb

Cause to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain.

Usage examples:

There is a continuing fear of firms corrupting politicians in the search for contracts

verb

Infect; contaminate.

Usage examples:

The corrupting smell of death

adjective

Having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain.

Usage examples:

Unscrupulous logging companies assisted by corrupt officials

noun

A person who has committed a crime.

Usage examples:

These men are dangerous criminals

adjective

Relating to crime.

Usage examples:

They are charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage

adjective

Involving or having the character of a crime

Usage examples:

She may face criminal charges for lying to a grand jury., he had an extensive criminal record (= an…

adjective

Indulging in or characterized by excessive indulgence in sex, alcohol, or drugs.

Usage examples:

A debauched lifestyle

verb

Destroy or debase the moral purity of; corrupt.

Usage examples:

He has debauched the morals of the people and endeavoured to corrupt parliament

verb

Damage the purity or appearance of; mar or spoil.

Usage examples:

The land was defiled by a previous owner

noun

A steep-sided narrow gorge or passage (originally one requiring troops to march in single file).

Usage examples:

The twisting track wormed its way up a defile to level ground

verb

(of troops) march in single file.

Usage examples:

We emerged after defiling through the mountainsides

adjective

Having lost the physical, mental, or moral qualities considered normal and desirable; showing evidence of decline.

Usage examples:

A degenerate form of a higher civilization

noun

An immoral or corrupt person.

Usage examples:

Get out of my house, you degenerate!

verb

Decline or deteriorate physically, mentally, or morally.

Usage examples:

The quality of life had degenerated

verb

Treat or regard (someone) with contempt or disrespect.

Usage examples:

She thought that many supposedly erotic pictures degraded women

verb

To reduce the quality of something

Usage examples:

Degrading water/air quality, degraded sound quality, the state is funding projects to restore degra…

verb

To become worse in quality, or to make something worse

Usage examples:

Unlike with a cassette player, the sound of the mp3 player doesn't degrade as the battery weakens.

adjective

Treated or regarded with contempt or disrespect.

Usage examples:

She had felt cheap and degraded

verb

Treat or regard (someone) with contempt or disrespect.

Usage examples:

She thought that many supposedly erotic pictures degraded women

verb

Past simple and past participle of degrade

Usage examples:

Pornography degrades women., every day the environment is further degraded by toxic wastes., these …

verb

Cause a severe loss in the dignity of and respect for (someone or something).

Usage examples:

I had demeaned the profession

verb

Conduct oneself in a particular way.

Usage examples:

No man demeaned himself so honourably

verb

To cause to become less respected

Usage examples:

I wouldn’t demean myself by asking my father for money., it was demeaning to be asked to leave beca…

verb

Diminish in value over a period of time.

Usage examples:

The latest cars will depreciate heavily in the first year

verb

To cause something to lose value, esp. over time

Usage examples:

Malawi’s currency was rapidly depreciating., the dollar’s depreciation will lead to higher inflatio…

verb

When a company depreciates an asset, such as a piece of equipment, it reduces its value in its accounts over a certain length of time

Usage examples:

Machine tools are typically depreciated over seven years., the government allowed the currency to d…

verb

Reduce or underestimate the worth or importance of.

Usage examples:

I resent the way people seem to devalue my achievement

verb

To reduce the rate at which one currency can be exchanged for another

Usage examples:

It caused a major crisis when the pound was devalued., the banking system was in trouble before the…

verb

Make (a liquid) thinner or weaker by adding water or another solvent to it.

Usage examples:

Bleach can be diluted with cold water

adjective

(of a liquid) made thinner or weaker by having had water or another solvent added to it.

Usage examples:

The water turnover rates of hummingbirds feeding on dilute nectar are more similar to those of amph…

verb

To make a liquid weaker by mixing it with water or another liquid

Usage examples:

Dilute the bleach in water before adding it to the wash., he disinfected the tub with a solution of…

verb

Harm the good reputation of.

Usage examples:

His remarks were taken out of context in an effort to discredit him

noun

Loss or lack of reputation or respect.

Usage examples:

His actions were such that they brought discredit on his profession

verb

To give people reason to stop believing someone or to doubt the truth of something

Usage examples:

The old soviet economic model has been thoroughly discredited., it’s the job of the defense to disc…

noun

Loss of reputation or respect as the result of a dishonourable action.

Usage examples:

He left the army in disgrace

verb

Bring shame or discredit on.

Usage examples:

You have disgraced the family name

noun

Embarrassment and the loss of other people’s respect, or behavior that causes this

Usage examples:

He resigned in disgrace., he’s a disgrace to his family., the lies my opponent is telling about me …

noun

A state of shame or disgrace.

Usage examples:

They have brought dishonour upon our family

verb

Bring shame or disgrace on.

Usage examples:

The ceremony was undertaken if a pupil had done something to dishonour the school

verb

If a bank dishonours a cheque, it refuses to pay it because there is not enough money in the account of the person who has written the cheque

Usage examples:

The bank of australia reversed its decision to raise fees for dishonored checks., the government ha…

adjective

(of a person or a way of life) overindulging in sensual pleasures.

Usage examples:

Unfortunately, his heir was feckless and dissolute

adjective

Showing a lack of good character and morals; immoral

Usage examples:

A dissolute life

adjective

Offensive to the senses, especially through having a disgusting smell or taste or being dirty.

Usage examples:

A foul odour

noun

(in sport) an unfair or invalid stroke or piece of play, especially one involving interference with an opponent.

Usage examples:

The midfielder was booked for a foul on ford

adverb

Contrary to the rules; unfairly.

Usage examples:

That's the real problem: even guys who want to play fair are under pressure from cheaters to play f…

verb

Make a low, steady continuous sound like that of a bee.

Usage examples:

The computers hummed

noun

A low, steady continuous sound.

Usage examples:

The hum of insects

exclamation

Used to express hesitation or dissent.

Usage examples:

‘ah, hum, elsie, isn't it?’

adjective

Not conforming to accepted standards of morality.

Usage examples:

Unseemly and immoral behaviour

adjective

Not following accepted standards of morally right behavior or thought

Usage examples:

Discrimination on the basis of race is immoral., the immorality of lying

adjective

Grossly unfair and morally wrong.

Usage examples:

An iniquitous tax

adjective

Very wrong and unfair

Usage examples:

It is an iniquitous system that allows a person to die because they have no money to pay for medici…

adjective

Feeling or revealing an overt sexual interest or desire.

Usage examples:

He gave her a lascivious wink

adjective

Feeling or expressing strong sexual desire

Usage examples:

Lascivious behavior

adjective

Crude and offensive in a sexual way.

Usage examples:

She began to gyrate to the music and sing a lewd song

adjective

(esp. of behavior or speech) sexual in an obvious and socially unacceptable way

Usage examples:

Lewd remarks

adjective

Promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual matters.

Usage examples:

The ruler's tyrannical and licentious behaviour

adjective

(especially of a person or their behaviour) sexual in an uncontrolled and socially unacceptable way

adjective

(of a person or their actions) characterized by sexually abnormal and unacceptable practices or tendencies.

Usage examples:

He whispered perverted obscenities

verb

Distort or corrupt the original course, meaning, or state of (something).

Usage examples:

He was charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice

adjective

(of an idea, policy, etc.) changed from its correct use or original purpose

Usage examples:

He used a perverted form of nationalism to incite anger among the crowd., you need not state the pa…

verb

Contaminate (water, the air, etc.) with harmful or poisonous substances.

Usage examples:

The explosion polluted the town with dioxin

Contaminate; make impure

verb

To make air, water, or earth dirty or harmful to people, animals, and plants, esp. by adding harmful chemicals or waste

Usage examples:

Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are polluting the groundwater., maybe there’s some kind of chem…

adjective

Recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources.

Usage examples:

Profligate consumers of energy

noun

A licentious, dissolute person.

Usage examples:

He is a drunkard and a profligate

noun

A person, in particular a woman, who engages in sexual activity for payment.

Usage examples:

Others attended the ‘circuses’ in which prostitutes performed sexual stunts.

verb

Offer (someone) for sexual activity in exchange for payment.

Usage examples:

Although she was paid £15 to join a man at his table, she never prostituted herself

noun

Someone, usually a woman, who has sex with people for money

Usage examples:

Hundreds of widowed or hungry women have had to prostitute themselves to survive., fig. some critic…

noun

A painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behaviour.

Usage examples:

She was hot with shame

verb

Make (someone) feel ashamed.

Usage examples:

I tried to shame him into giving some away

exclamation

Used to express sentimental pleasure, especially at something small and endearing.

Usage examples:

Look at the foals—shame, aren't they sweet?

adjective

Wicked and immoral; committing or characterized by the committing of sins.

Usage examples:

Sinful men

verb

Diminish or destroy the value or quality of.

Usage examples:

I wouldn't want to spoil your fun

noun

Goods stolen or taken forcibly from a person or place.

Usage examples:

The looters carried their spoils away

verb

To destroy or damage something, or to become destroyed or damaged

Usage examples:

[ t ] the oil spill spoiled five miles of coastline., [ t ] don’t tell me how it ends, you’ll spoil…

verb

Damage the purity or integrity of.

Usage examples:

They were outraged that anyone should sully their good name

verb

To spoil something that is pure or someone's perfect reputation

Usage examples:

His reputation, he said, had been unfairly sullied by half-truths and innuendos., no speck of dirt …

noun

A trace of a bad or undesirable substance or quality.

Usage examples:

The lingering taint of creosote

verb

Contaminate or pollute (something).

Usage examples:

The air was tainted by fumes from the cars

noun

The perineum.

verb

Lose or cause to lose lustre, especially as a result of exposure to air or moisture.

Usage examples:

Silver tarnishes too easily

noun

Dullness of colour; loss of brightness.

Usage examples:

Silver can be oxidized to give the effect of tarnish, and this coloration was popular in europe and…

verb

(of metal surfaces) to become less bright or a different color

Usage examples:

[ i ] silver tarnishes easily., [ t ] the scandal has tarnished the agency’s reputation.

adjective

Deliberately cruel or violent.

Usage examples:

A vicious assault

adjective

Able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering

adjective

(of an act) intending to hurt badly, or (of a person or animal) likely to be violent

Usage examples:

I don’t believe he is a vicious dog., the few who disagreed became the targets of vicious written a…

adjective

Extremely unpleasant.

Usage examples:

He has a vile temper

adjective

Evil or disgusting

Usage examples:

He responded with the vilest language imaginable., a vile mood/temper

adjective

Unpleasant, immoral, and unacceptable

Usage examples:

This vile policy of ethnic cleansing must be stopped.

verb

Spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of.

Usage examples:

Development programmes have been vitiated by the rise in population

verb

To destroy or damage something

Usage examples:

He said that american military power should never again be vitiated by political concerns.

adjective

Evil or morally wrong.

Usage examples:

A wicked and unscrupulous politician

verb

Absorb or draw off (liquid) by capillary action.

Usage examples:

Garments that wick moisture away from the skin

adjective

Morally wrong and bad

Usage examples:

He was a wicked, ruthless, and dishonest man., she has a wicked sense of humor., the demands of fun…