baste 
hiiist, linxit, perhaps with orig. inf. 'hum , < Sw. 
basa, strike, beat, whip (cf. /mx/i', busk*); 
some compare Icel. beusta, bcyrxlu = Sw. /w- 
to = Dan. /Wsfc, beat, drub, generally assorint- 
ed with borste (= Sw. bnrxlu), brush, < lnii-.^/i , 
a brush, bristle, = Sw. horxlr, a brush, /i-.s7, a 
bristle. Others take l><ixt<-i to be a tig. use of 
busli'~; cf. iiiiiiint in sense <if //.</'.] To boat 
with a stick; thrash; cudgel. 
Minr hail struck down CfeMd I bM in tic dirt, with his 
new unit MIL aii.l tin- 1".\ . . . u;i in a pitiful taking ami 
pickle, but I iKuteil my I-OJMJ. ,,,un.ili. 
Diary, 1. :!7'J. 
Would now and then (,ci/e . . . 
A stick, or stool, nr iinytliin^ that round did Hi-, 
And txtnif her lord and master most confoundedly. 
Bar/in in. lii'4olilsliy l.cKcmls. I. 100. 
baste- (bast), i'. t. ; pret. and pp. banted, ppr. 
biixtiiit/. [Origin unknown; the word first oc- 
curs in the Ifith century. Cf. haute 1 .] 1. To 
moisten (incut that is being roasted or baked) 
with melted fat, gravy, etc., to improve the 
flavor or prevent burning. 
The fut of roasted mutton falling on the birds will serve 
to Imxtc them. .S'V. 
Down run the wine into the road, 
Most piteous t<> IKS seen, 
Whirl) made his home's flanks to smoke 
\- tin > hinl '/.,/../ been. 1'iiii-iH'i-, John (iilpin. 
2. To mark (slieep) with tar. [Prov. Eng.] 
baste :! (biist), t). t. ; pret. and pp. hn.vti-il, pju-. 
baxtiiit/. [< ME. hasten, < OF. bnxtir, V. btitir 
= Sp. basteur = It. imbastire, baste, sew (cf. 
Sp. PR. It. bantu, basting), prob. < OHG. bestan, 
patch (MHG. besten, lace, tie, OFries. beaten, 
baste), < bast, bast, the fibers of which were 
used for thread: see bast 1 .'] To sew slightly; 
fasten together with long stitches, as the parts 
of a garment, for trying on or fitting, or for 
convenience in handling during the process of 
making. 
Tin I., M|\ of your discourse is sometime guarded [trim- 
med] with fragments, and the guards [trimminxsl are lint 
slightly batted ou neither. Shot., Much Ado, i. 1. 
baste 4 (bast), . [Another spelling of beast, re- 
taining the former pronunciation of that word.] 
In card-playing, same as beast, 7. 
bastel-houset, n. [< ME. hostel, bastele, hostile 
(see hostile) + house.'] A fortified house, espe- 
cially one built in an outlying and exposed po- 
sition. See border-tower. 
baster 1 (bas'ter), n. [< baste* + -er 1 .] 1. One 
who bastes or beats with a stick. 2. A blow 
with a stick or other weapon. [Colloq.] 
baster 2 (bas'ter), n. [< haste^ + -er 1 .] One 
who bastes meat. 
baster 3 (bas'ter), . [< bash + -er 1 .] One 
who bastes or joins the parts of a garment 
loosely with long stitches; also, an attachment 
to a sewing-machine used for basting. 
basterna (bas-ter'nH,), n. [LL.] 1. A sort of 
litter or sedan, borne by two mules, used by 
the Romans. 2. An ox-cart or wagon used 
by the early French kings. 
bastida (bas-te'da), n. [ML., also bastita: see 
bastifle."] Same as bastide. 
bastide (bas-ted'), n. [P., a farm-house, a 
fortress, < Pr. bastida, < ML. bastida, prop, bas- 
tita, lit. a building, prop. fern, of bastitns, pp. 
of hastire, build, > OF. bastir = Pr. basiir, 
build: see i hostile, bastion.'] If. A small forti- 
fied building, often of timber, corresponding 
nearly to a modern blockhouse. 2+. A tem- 
porary or movable hut or tower erected for be- 
sieging purposes. See hostile, 4. 3. A small 
farm-house or country dwelling in the south of 
France, especially in the neighborhood of Mar- 
seilles. 
bastile, bastille (bas-tel'). . [In spelling and 
pron. conformed to mod. F.; < ME. hostile, bas- 
tille, bastele, hostel, etc., < OF. (and mod. F.) 
bastille, < ML. bastile, pi. bastilia, a tower, for- 
tress, < hastire (> OF. bastir, F. 6rfr = Pr. OSp. 
bastir = It. bastire), build, of unknown origin ; 
referred by Diez to Gr. /?aora\(w, raise, support.] 
1. A bridge-tower, gate-tower, outlying de- 
fense, or citadel. 
At vch brugge a berfray on baMm wyse, 
That scuen sythe vch a day asayled the gates. 
Alliterative forms (ed. Morris), ii. 1187. 
2. In French hist., a fortress used as a state 
prison. Many French cities had bastiles of this kind in 
feudal times, but the one especially known Is that of 
Paris, called specifically the Bastille. It commanded the 
Porte St. Antoinc, and iu erection was begun by Charles 
V. in 13(81. This, being of peculiar strength, remained 
alter the other medieval fortifications of the city had 
been removed, and its use as a prison for persons con- 
tin. .1 at the arbitrary will of the king or his ministers 
gave it celebrity as a reputed stronghold of royal des- 
potism and cruelty. Jt was stormed with much blood- 
she.l by the populace July 14, 17S9, and was demolished 
171 
shortly afterward. There weie delivered from the prison 
ccllx four forgers, two lunatics, and a n. .1.1. 111:111 who hud 
I.eeii coiithicd at the demand of hU family. 
In Paris la Itanlilf is, as our Tower, the chief prison of 
the kingdom. Ooiffmv 
That rock-fortrcsH, Tyranny's stronghold, whieh tin \ 
'i .111. lsif,iiii.-. CarlyU, French Rev., I. Iv. X. 
Hi nee 3. By extension, any prison, espe- 
cially one conducted in an arbitrary or op- 
pressive way. 
The modern hospital for the ill.sanc, especially the m:m\ 
private and corporate homes, conducted as they are with 
the utmost humanity and skill, an- not lm..Hti'in>r prisons, 
furnishing only restraint behind the bars. 
.l/.Vli. ami Neural., VII. 700. 
4. A movable tower used by the besiegers of 
a strong place, whether for approaching the 
walls (see belfri/) or as a defense and protec- 
tion for the besiegers. 
bastile, bastille (bas-tel'), r. t. ; pret. and pp. 
hiixtilril or luixtillnl, ppr. hastilinfi or btixlillini/. 
[< bastile, n.] To confine in a bastile; im- 
prison 
bastilliont (tms-til'yon), n. [< OF. bastillon, 
hostile.' 
or castle. 
dim. of huxtillf : see i 
. ] A Miiall fortress 
bastimentt (bas'ti-ment), n. [< OF. biixliiin nl 
(F. bdtimoit = Sp. bnxlimi-ntu), a building, 
structure, ship ( < bnxiir, build: see hostile.] 1. 
Military supplies. 2. A rampart. 3. A ship 
of war. 
bastimentot (bas-ti-men'to), H. [Sp.] Same 
as ba.itime.nt, Ii. 
Then the liaxtilllfntos never 
Mad our foul dishonour seen, 
Nor the sea the sad receiver 
Of this gallant train had been. 
Qtnter, Hosier's Ghost, St. 7. 
bastinade (bas-ti-nad'), n. and r. Same as 
bastinado. 
bastinado (bas-ti-na'do), n. [Formerly also 
bastonado (-ado, -ode) = F. bastowtade, < Sp. 
bastonada, also bastonazo (= It. bastonata), a 
beating with a stick, < Sp. baston = OF. baston 
= It . bastone, a stick, cudgel : see baston, baton.] 
1. A blow or beating with a stick or cudgel, 
especially on the soles of the feet or on the 
buttocks ; a cudgeling. 
He brags he will gi' me the banliiuidit, as I hear. How? 
he the bastinado? How came he by that word, trow? 
Nay, indeed, he said cudgel me; I termed it so for my 
more grace. B. Jmuoti. 
2. A mode of punishment in some Oriental 
countries, especially Turkey, Persia, and China, 
in which blows with a stick or lath of bamboo 
are inflicted on the soles of the feet or on the 
buttocks. 3. A stick or cudgel; the imple- 
ment used in administering the bastinado. 
bastinado (bas-ti-na'do), . t. [< bastinado, .] 
To beat with a stick or cudgel ; specifically, to 
beat on the buttocks or the soles of the feet, 
as a judicial punishment. 
The Sallee rover, who threatened to bastinado a Chris- 
tian captive to death. Macaulay, Hist. Eng. 
basting 1 (bas'ting), n. [Verbal n. of hostel.] 
A cudgeling ; a beating. 
A good batting . . . was a sovereign remedy for sea-sick- 
ness. Marryat, Peter Simple, p. 64. 
basting' 2 (bas'ting), n. [Verbal n. of baste^.] 
1 . The moistening of meat that is being roasted 
with its own fat, butter, etc. 2. The gravy, 
melted fat, butter, etc., used in moistening 
roasting beef, etc. 3. In candle-making, the 
process of pouring melted wax over the wicks. 
basting 8 (bas'ting), n. [Verbal n. of baste^.] 
1. The act of sewing together with long, loose 
stitches. 2. The stitches themselves, 
basting-machine (bas ' ting - ma - shen ' ), n. A 
sewing-machine used for basting'together pieces 
of fabrics, to make a continuous piece for 
bleaching, dyeing, etc. 
bastion (bas'tion), n. [< F. bastion, < It. bas- 
tinnr (= Sp. bastion), < bastire = OF. bastir, 
etc., build: see 
lMixiili-.\ In 
fort., a mass 
of earth, faced 
with sods, brick, 
or stones, stand- 
ing out from 
a rampart, of 
which it is a 
principal part. 
A basti..ii consists 
of two flanki, each 
commanding and 
defending the adja- 
centcurtain, or that 
portion of the wall 
extending from one 
bastion to another, and two/ace* making with each other 
an acute angle called the salient angle, and commanding 
.1, Bastion. 
a, a, curtain-angles ; t>, t. shoulder-an- 
ides; c, salient angle ; a 6, a 6, flanks; be, 
p f, faces ; a a, gorge ; a d, a J, parts of 
curtains. 
basyloua 
the outworks and mound before the foi tillcatiou. Tlir 
inuerspace between the two Hanks ith, '/,,/. <u . mialic. 
int.. th. l.asti..n. Tin us.- of tin . bring every 
|X(int at til. fnt.t ..f the rampart I under 
the ^UIIS of the place. formerly , ailed liiilu-ark. 
And !j. pics round lip .li < u \ 
A loomiuu '*'-'m fringed with tire. 
TVmi.'/".". In Menioriam, xv. 
.r Hunt was a long embattled line, with many a 
' ,ui.l round. O timtnr,,,,. Mci v, xviil. 
Center of a bastion, a point at the middle of th. 
when. > the capital lill. J.loc. cits. It Is ill UCIH 1 
imitii- "f the inner polygon. Detached bastion, in/ort., 
E bastion which is separated from the cue, -int.- by a ditch. 
. Mil. Knc>e. 
bastionary (Ims'tion-a-ri), . [< hiiKtiitn + 
-ii>'!/ 1 . 1 I'crt ;i ill ill"; tdiir consist inn of bastions: 
as, systems uf lni*tininiri/ I'ortificntiou. 
bastioned (bax'tipnd), a. [< bastion + -e<&.} 
Provided with or defended by bastions. 
His palace l>M_ht. 
Battiun'd with pyramids of glowing pild. 
Kealr, ]ly|>criun, i. 
From the hili"ti'il walls, 
Like threaded spiders, one by one, we dn.pt. 
Tennyrnn, PrtnceM, I. 
Bastioned fort, a fort having two or n: i . n. us con- 
I liy curtains : a term commonly rest li.t.-d to field 
..iks Bastioned front. **! front. 
bastionet (bas'tion-et), n. [< bastion + -et.] 
lujtii't., a small bomb-proof chamber placed in 
a position flanking the ditch of a lunette or 
redoubt. Bastioncts are usually placed at the ullent 
angles of redoubts, and are furnished with loopholes for 
small arms, and sometimes are pierced for one or two gims. 
bastite (bas'tit), n. [< Baste (see def .) + -ite*.] 
A serpentinous mineral occurring embedded in 
serpentine at Baste in the Harz and elsewhere, 
and probably derived from the alteration of a 
variety of enstatite (bronzite). It often shows a 
metallic-pearly luster, or sclilller, In the cleavage-face, and 
is hence called tchiUer-itpar, 
bastnasite (bast'na-sit), n. [< Sastnas (see 
def.) + -ite2.] A fluocarbonate of cerium, 
lanthanum, and didymium from the Bastnas 
mine, Sweden. It also occnrs as an alteration 
product of tysonite near Pike's Peak, Colorado. 
basto (bas'to), n. [< It. Sp. Pg. basto, ace of 
clubs ; cf . It. bastone = Sp. baston = Pg. hagttto, 
a stick, club : see baston.} In card-playing, the 
ace of clubs in quadrille and ombre. 
In Spanish cards clubs are really represented by "clubs," 
for which iiniin is the Spanish word. In certain garnet, 
e. g., Ombre, the ace of clubs plays an important part, 
and is emphatically called basto. 
A', and Q., 7th ser., II. 115. 
bastont (bas'ton), n. [< ME. baston, bastun, < 
OF. baston, ~F"bdton = Sp. baston = Pg. bastSo 
= It. bastone, < ML. "basto(n-), a stick, club, 
cudgel. Origin unknown. The word appears in 
E. also as baton, hatoon, batton, 
batten^: see these forms.] 1. A 
or _ stick, staff, or cudgel; a baton. 
/ Specifically (a) A mace of wood used in 
/ a tourney, instead of the mace of metal 
v / used in war. It was usually shaped into 
_J a handle, and had a guard like a sword. 
~^V (6) A leading-staff or ensign of command. 
Baston. See baton, 1. (c) In her., a bendlet sinis- 
ter cut on* at each end, so as not to 
reach the edge of the field : it is generally considered in 
English heraldry a mark of illegitimacy, [still used in 
this sense.) Also baton and bastard bar. 
2. In arch., a segmental molding used espe- 
cially in the bases of columns; a torus. 3. A 
servant of the warden of the Fleet, who attend- 
ed the king's courts as an officer, carrying a 
red truncheon. It was his duty to take to ward such 
prisoners as had been committed by the court, and also to 
attend those suffered to go at large by license. Hence, to 
go out of prison by baston was to go at large In the custody 
of a servant of the warden of Fleetprison. [London, Eng.] 
bast-palm (bast'pam), n. Two species of Bra- 
zilian palms which yield the piassaba fiber, a 
coarse fiber from the sheathing-bases of the 
leaf-stalks, used for cordage, brooms, etc. The 
I la hi a bast-palm is the . I ttaleafuni/era (see . I ttalea) ; that 
of Para is the Leopoldinia Piassaba. 
Bastramia (bas-tra'mi-a), n. [NL.] A genus 
of mosses, of the tribe "baxiramiece. it has erect, 
dichotomous stems, yellowish-green leaves, and terminal 
fruit, which is a nearly spherical capsule. 
bast- tree (bast'tre), n. [ME. baste-tre; < bas ft 
+ tree.] A tree furnishing bast, in Europe espe- 
cially the linden, Tilia Europ&a. See bast 1 . 
basyl, basyle (ba'sil), n. [< Or. /Matt, a base, 
+ I'/'tf, substance.] In diem., a name given by 
Graham to the electropositive constituent of a 
salt. 
basylous (ba'si-lus), a. [< bast/I + -otis.] In 
chem., of the nature of or relating to a basyl, 
or electropositive constituent of a salt. 
The name of the electro-negative ingredient . . . being 
that which is placed first as the genetic term, whilst that 
of the electro-positive or bamilous element follows as indi- 
cating the species. W. A. ililler, Elem. of Chem., i 331. 
