Present participle of 'abase'—causing someone to feel embarrassed or ashamed, or lowering someone's dignity or status.
From 'abase' (to lower or humiliate, from Old French 'abaisser') + '-ing' (present participle). 'Abase' combines 'a-' (to) + 'base' (low), literally meaning 'to make base or low.'
To 'abase' someone is to deliberately make them feel small or inferior—it's a power move, usually a negative one. You'll find this word a lot in literature describing how tyrants or bullies treat their victims, because it describes both the action and its emotional effect.
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