Category:Baste

Baste, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Basted; p. pr. & vb. n. Basting.] Etym: [Cf. Icel. beysta to strike, powder; Sw. basa to beat with a rod: perh. akin to E. beat.]

1. To beat with a stick; to cudgel. One man was basted by the keeper for carrying some people over on his back through the waters. Pepys.

2. (Cookery)

Defn: To sprinkle flour and salt and drip butter or fat on, as on meat in roasting.

3. To mark with tar, as sheep. [Prov. Eng.]

Baste, v. t. Etym: [OE. basten, OF. bastir, F. b, prob. fr. OHG. bestan to sew, MHG. besten to bind, fr. OHG. bast bast. See Bast.]

Defn: To sew loosely, or with long stitches; -- usually, that the work may be held in position until sewed more firmly. Shak.