Base

—1. The bottom of anything considered as its support, or the part of a thing on which it stands or rests; as, the base of a column. 2. In chemistry, a body which can combine with an acid to form a salt. Bases are cla ified as follows: (1) Oxides, such as quicklime or magnesia; (2) hydrates, as caustic soda, or slaked lime; (3) a cla represented by ammonia and its derivatives. Certain bases are caustic, po e an alkaline or astringent taste, and turn red litmus paper blue, “hese being more popularly known as alkalis.