bas-, bat-

(Greek > Latin: stepping, to step, to go; a place where someone steps; a pedestal)

abasia (s) (noun)
The inability to walk because of a limitation or absence of muscular coordination which may be a result of psychiatric or physiological origins; unable to walk: "Alicia was able to move her legs while she was lying down, but she had abasia when she tried to stand up."
acrobat, acrobatic
1. A performer on the trapeze, tightrope, etc. who "walks on tiptoe"; such as, walking on a wire high above the ground.
2. A skilled performer of gymnastic feats; such as, walking on a tightrope or swinging on a trapeze.
3. Etymology: from French acrobate, from Greek akrobates, "rope dancer, gymnastic performer"; related to akrobatos, "going on tip-toe, climbing up high"; from akros "topmost, at the point end" + bainein, "to walk, to go".
base (BAYS) (s), bases (pl) (nouns)
1. Support, pedestal, stand, bottom, foundation, substructure, ground, bed: "The lamp stands on a circular base."

"The tall building utilizes several kinds of bases or foundations to hold it solidly in place."

2. Foundation, essence, principle, root, core, heart, key, rudiment, ground, source: "The base of his argument is that our price is too high."
3. Essential ingredient, principal constituent: "The soup has a tomato base."
4. Camp, station, post, billet, installation, garrison: "The weary troops marched back to their base."

"U.S. military units still have several bases in Europe."

5. To derive from, to model on, to found on: "This song is based on an old folk tune."
6. Station, garrison, locate, situate, install, ground, establish, place: "The company’s headquarters is based in Berlin. The army’s 3rd Armored Division was based at Fort Knox."
7. Inferior, poor quality; alloyed, debased, adulterated, impure, spurious: "Zinc and brass are base metals."
8. Mean, vile, low, contemptible, despicable, ignoble, shameful, immoral, sneaky, petty: "Cheating at cards is a base practice."
base, bass, bass
base (BAYS)
1. Support, bottom, foundation, substructure: "The lamp stands on a circular base."
2. Foundation, essence, core, source: "The base of his argument is that our price is too high."
3. Camp, station, post, billet, installation: "The weary troops marched back to their base."
4. Inferior, poor quality; adulterated, impure: "Zinc and brass are base metals."
5. Lacking proper social values or moral principles; not honest or good: "His base motives were soon obvious when he walked off with all of the money people had entrusted to him for their investments.
bass (BAYS)
1. The range of the lowest male voice, below baritone: "He sang bass in the quartet."
2. A low, deep sound or tone, as of a voice or a musical instrument: "Her father had a bass voice that stood out from any other man that I have ever heard."
bass (BAHS)
A kind of fresh or salt-water fish: "They caught five large bass for tonight’s fish dinner."

The bass swam around the bass drum in the river where another bass was painted on the base of that bass drum.

The villainous singer sang his song in his base bass voice.

based, baste
based (BAYS'd)
A fundamental principal upon which is formed the foundation of an idea, a construct, or undertaking: "The theme of the novel is based on the idea of social justice."
baste (BAYST)
1. To sew together in a temporary fashion: "The seamstress will baste the skirt before the client tries it on to be sure it fits correctly."
2. To moisten periodically with the juice or fat from the meat being cooked: "The cook would baste the roast from time to time to be sure it was juicy and delicious."

My new cookbook was based on the principles of healthy fat-free menus; however, once in a while I like a roast which I can baste.

bases, basis
bases (BAY suhz) Plural of basis and base.
1. Supports, underpinnings, substructures: "The tall building utilizes several kinds of bases or foundations to hold it solidly in place."
2. Camps, stations, posts, billets, installations, garrisons: "U.S. military units still have several bases in Europe."
basis (BAY seez)
Base, foundation, fundamental, essential: "Charity toward others is the basis of her philosophy and way of life."

The basis of baseball is that there are three bases around which the players must run.

basifixed
Attached at or near the base, as a leaf to a stem.
basiphobia, basophobia
1. Avoidance of walking because of the fear that something dreadful will happen as a result; such as, collapsing and dying.
2. An emotional inability to stand or to walk even in the absence of a muscle disease.
3. In plants, an inability to adapt to alkaline soils.
basis (BAY seez)
Base, underpinning, ground, foundation, cornerstone, fundamental, essential, principle: "Charity toward others is the basis of her philosophy and way of life."
basiscopic
Something which is facing, or viewed, on the side, toward the base.
basistasiphobia, basostasophobia
An exaggerated fear of standing or walking that is related to the fear of falling, collapsing, and dieing.
basophobiac
Someone who has a dread of walking or standing erect; even without any muscular problems.
batophobia
An abnormal fear of passing or walking close to high objects; such as, high buildings or tall trees; dread of heights.

A compound of Greek batos, “passable”, a verbal adjective of bainein, “to go”.

The association of Greek batos with “height” is apparently a result of a connection of this word with the second element in acrobat because acrobats are associated with the idea that they perform their arts high over ground levels. Perhaps a much better name for this condition would be hyposophobia.

brachybasia
1. The shuffling gait, or walk, characteristic of partial paraplegia or in Parkinson's disease.
2. A slow, shuffling, short-stepped gait (walk), as seen in double hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body).
debase, debases; debased, debasing (verbs)