Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BASE'-MIND-ED-NESS, n.

Meanness of spirit. Sandys.

BASE'NESS, n.

1. Meanness; vileness; worthlessness. Dryden.
2. Vileness of metal; the quality of being of little comparative value. Swift.
3. Bastardy; illegitimacy of birth. Shak.
4. Deepness of sound. Bacon.

BASE'NET, n.

A helmet. Spenser.

BASE-SOUL'ED, a.

Vile in soul.

BASE-SPIR'IT-ED, a.

Low in courage; mean; cowardly.

BASE'-STRING, n.

The lowest note. Shak.

BASE'-VI-OL, n. [See Viol.]

A musical instrument, used for playing the base or gravest part.

BASH, v.i. [Heb. בוש, bosh, to be cast down, or confounded. Qu. D. verbaazen, to confound. See Abash.]

To be ashamed; to be confounded with shame. Spenser.

BA-SHAW', n. [Ar. بَاشَا basha; Pers. pasha; Sp. baxa; It. bascia; Turk. basch, the head. Qu. D. baas, master, and the bassus of the Alemanni and Longobards, in the middle ages. This word is often written most absurdly pacha, both by the English and Americans.]

1. A title of honor in the Turkish dominions; appropriately, the title of the prime vizer, but given to viceroys or governors of provinces, and to generals and other men of distinction. The Turkish bashaws exercise an oppressive authority in their provinces. Hence,
2. A proud, tyrannical, overbearing man.

BASH'FUL, a. [See Bash and Abash.]

1. Properly, having a downcast look; hence, very modest.
2. Modest to excess; sheepish. Shak.
3. Exciting shame.

BASH'FUL-LY, adv.

Very modestly; in a timorous manner.

BASH'FUL-NESS, n.

1. Excessive or extreme modesty; a quality of mind often visible in external appearance, as in blushing, a downcast look, confusion, &c.
2. Vicious or rustic shame. Sidney.

BASH'LESS, a.

Shameless; unblushing. Spenser.

BA'SIC, a.

Relating to a base; performing the office of a base in a salt.

BA'SI-FI-ER, n.

That which converts into a salifiable base.

BA'SI-FY, v.t.

To convert into a salifiable base.

BA'SI-FY-ING, ppr.

Converting into a salifiable base.

BA-SI-GYN'I-UM, n.

The pedicel on which the ovary of certain flowers is situated.

BAS'IL, n. [s as z.]

The slope or angle of a tool or instrument, as of a chisel or plane; usually of 12 degrees, but for hard wood, 18 degrees. Encyc.

BAS'IL, n.¹ [s as z. Fr. basilic; It. basilico.]

A plant of the genus Ocymum, of which there are many species, all natives of warm climates. They are fragrant aromatic plants, and one species, the sweet basil, is much used in cookery, especially in France.

BAS'IL, n.² [Orient. בזו to strip.]

The skin of a sheep tanned; written also basan.

BAS'IL, v.t.

To grind or form the edge of a tool to an angle. Moxon.

BAS'IL-AR, or BAS'IL-A-RY, a. [s as z. See Basilic.]

Chief; an anatomical term applied to several bones, and to an artery of the brain. Coxe.

BAS-IL'I-AN-MONKS,

monks of the order of St. Basil, who founded the order in Pontus. The order still exists, but has less power and celebrity than formerly. Encyc.

BAS'IL-IC, or BA-SIL'IC-AL, a. [s as z.]

1. In the manner of a public edifice or cathedral. Forsyth.
2. Belonging to the middle vein of the arm.
3. Noting a particular nut, the walnut, Basilica nux.