Also 8 bassment. [f. BASE sb.1 or v.2 + -MENT; cf. F. soubassement.]
1. The lowest or fundamental portion of a structure. Basement-membrane: a fine transparent layer lying between the epithelium and the fibro-vascular layer of mucous membranes.
1793. Smeaton, Edystone L., Cont. 7. Establishing a solid Basement of Wood.
1843. J. Portlock, Geol., 97. The … augitic rock which forms the basement of the promontory.
1847. Todd, Cycl. Anat. & Phys., III. 751/1. The cell-germs contained in this basement-membrane.
2. fig. Groundwork; attrib. = fundamental.
1818. Hallam, Mid. Ages, II. i. That Great Charter, the basement, at least, if not the foundation of our free constitution.
1829. I. Taylor, Enthus., iii. (1867), 55. This belief constitutes the basement-principle of all religion.
3. spec. The lowest story (not a cellar) of a building, esp. when sunk below the general ground level.
1730. A. Gordon, Maffei’s Amphith., 389. There is a small Basement … under the lower Pilasters.
1823. Scott, in Lockhart (1839), VII. 204. The under or sunk story—basement the learned call it.
b. attrib. 1766. Entick, London, IV. 360. The bassment story is very massy.
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., iv. 22. Down stairs to a little basement front door.
4. The action of basing; the state of being based; cf. debasement.
1836. G. Faber, An Inquiry, etc., 579. Evinced by its actual basement upon the unhallowed principle, that nations, as such, ought [etc.].
