Bassorin
(Bas"so*rin) n. [Cf. F. bassorine.] (Chem.) A constituent part of a species of gum from
Bassora, as also of gum tragacanth and some gum resins. It is one of the amyloses. Ure.
Bass-relief
(Bass"-re*lief`) n. Same as Bas- relief.
Bass viol
(Bass" vi`ol) (Mus.) A stringed instrument of the viol family, used for playing bass. See 3d
Bass, n., and Violoncello.
Basswood
(Bass"wood`) n. (Bot.) The bass (Tilia) or its wood; especially, T. Americana. See Bass,
the lime tree.
All the bowls were made of basswood,
White and polished very smoothly.
Longfellow.
Bast
(Bast) n. [AS. bæst; akin to Icel., Sw., Dan., D., & G. bast, of unknown origin. Cf. Bass the tree.]
1. The inner fibrous bark of various plants; esp. of the lime tree; hence, matting, cordage, etc., made
therefrom.
2. A thick mat or hassock. See 2d Bass, 2.
Basta
(||Bas"ta) interj. [It.] Enough; stop. Shak.
Bastard
(Bas"tard) n. [OF. bastard, bastart, F. btard, prob. fr. OF. bast, F. bt, a packsaddle used as
a bed by the muleteers (fr. LL. bastum) + -ard. OF. fils de bast son of the packsaddle; as the muleteers
were accustomed to use their saddles for beds in the inns. See Cervantes, "Don Quixote," chap. 16; and
cf.G. bankert, fr. bank bench.]
1. A "natural" child; a child begotten and born out of wedlock; an illegitimate child; one born of an illicit
union.
By the civil and canon laws, and by the laws of many of the United States, a bastard becomes a legitimate
child by the intermarriage of the parents at any subsequent time. But by those of England, and of some
states of the United States, a child, to be legitimate, must at least be born after the lawful marriage.
Kent. Blackstone.
2. (Sugar Refining) (a) An inferior quality of soft brown sugar, obtained from the sirups that have already
had several boilings. (b) A large size of mold, in which sugar is drained.
3. A sweet Spanish wine like muscadel in flavor.
Brown bastard is your only drink.
Shak.
4. A writing paper of a particular size. See Paper.
Bastard
(Bas"tard) a.
1. Begotten and born out of lawful matrimony; illegitimate. See Bastard, n., note.
2. Lacking in genuineness; spurious; false; adulterate; — applied to things which resemble those which are
genuine, but are really not so.
That bastard self-love which is so vicious in itself, and productive of so many vices.
Barrow.
3. Of an unusual make or proportion; as, a bastard musket; a bastard culverin. [Obs.]
4. (Print.) Abbreviated, as the half title in a page preceding the full title page of a book.
