base, v.² — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

base v.²

(drugs)

1. to smoke cocaine.

1989		(con. 1982–6) T. Williams Cocaine Kids (1990) 33: At about five a.m. they wanted to base and shit, and I knew Max didn’t base either.
1992		V. Headley Yardie 93: Man, we base excess amount ah charlie last night.

2. to intensify the effect of cocaine by heating it in combination with ether or other chemicals before inhaling.

1989		(con. 1982–6) T. Williams Cocaine Kids (1990) 41: It’s hurting me because people don’t want to pay two hundred dollars for a gram of pure rock, but they wanna base up the best stuff.
1992		T. Williams Crackhouse 55: Until that time Liz had not used crack. ‘I didn’t base until we broke up, because I didn’t like the smell of the stuff. I started basing because I was hanging out with these crackheads.’.
1997		L. Davies Candy 72: If you weigh a given amount of cocaine before and after basing it, you can work out its purity.
2008		T. Dorsey Atomic Lobster 180: Don’t make any sudden moves [...] I think he’s been basing.

In derivatives

based (adj.)

1. (drugs) using or addicted to crack cocaine.

2018

dictionary-com 6 Sept. 🌐 Based is a slang term that originally meant to be addicted to crack cocaine (or acting like you were), but was reclaimed by rapper Lil B for being yourself and not caring what others think of you—to carry yourself with swagger.

2. see based adj. (1)

baser (n.)

(US drugs) one who uses crack cocaine.

1989		(con. 1982–6) T. Williams Cocaine Kids (1990) 109: Basers – alone or in groups – appear to talk or interact much less than do snorters.
1995		J. Stahl Permanent Midnight 342: Half the ’basers in the goddam Emergency Room aren’t even in there for coke.

base v.2

In derivatives

base v.²