a. [f. BASE a. 6, 7, 16.]

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  1.  Of low or humble birth, plebeian.

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1593.  Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., IV. viii. 49. Better ten-thousand base-borne Cades miscarry.

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1741.  Richardson, Pamela (1824), I. 95. That a gentleman of your rank in life should stoop … to the base-born Pamela.

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1845.  Disraeli, Sybil (1863), 153. Very often the baseborn change their liveries for coronets.

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  2.  fig. Of base origin or nature.

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1591.  Spenser, Teares Muses, 392. Such high conceipt of that celestiall fire, The base-borne brood of Blindnes cannot gesse.

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1852.  Tupper, Prov. Philos., 179. A base-born mirth, springing out of carelessness and folly.

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  3.  Illegitimate, born out of wedlock.

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1645.  Featley, Dippers Dipt, 51 (T.). Neither doth holy necessarily implie no bastard. For some holy men have been base-born.

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1851.  Kingsley, Yeast, xi. 203. Our daughters with base-born babies Have wandered away in their shame.

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  B.  quasi-sb. One of humble or illegitimate birth.

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1605.  Parish Reg. Romford, Essex, 11 Aug. George, the base-borne of one of my Ladye Coke’s servants.

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1879.  E. Arnold, Lt. Asia, 195. Huts where the base-born dwelt.

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