the lowest floor of a building, usually partly or completely below ground level
After the storm, we stored the patio furniture in the basement.
The kids turned the basement into a makeshift playroom with bright posters and beanbags.
✦ Borrowed from French “bas”, meaning “low”, + “-ment”. Used in English since the 18th century for the low or underground part of a building.
the lowest or worst level in a ranking, list, or set of results
After losing five games, the team found itself in the basement of the league standings.
The company’s stock price has been stuck in the basement for months.
✦ Extension of the architectural sense to metaphorical rankings, first recorded in sports journalism in the early 20th century.
