Emily Dickinson Lexicon

basket, n. [origin unknown.] (webplay: earth, small).

1. Flexible bowl; container of woven material; [fig.] capacity; potential; aptitude; point of view.
2. Holder; storage vessel; receptacle for gathering; [fig.] mind; soul; spirit; intelligence; (see Matthew 14:15-20).
3. Cage; enclosure; confinement; trap; [fig.] jail; cell; prison; (see Acts 9:23-25).

bass, n. [ME; see base, adj.]

1. Deep tone; low-pitched sound; male voice part with sonorous vibrations; [fig.] melancholy noise.
2. Undertone; obligato; [word play on “bass”] marine fish.

bastinadoed, verbal adj. [Sp. baston, stick, staff, cudgel.]

Struck; slapped; hit; beaten on the bottom of the feet according to a Turkish custom; [fig.] humiliated; chastised; reprimanded.

bat, n. [ME bakke < Dan. aften-bakke, evening bat.] (webplay: wings).

Nocturnal flying mammal; mouse-like quadruped with membranes between its feet that act as wings; animal that enters homes on summer nights to eat moths, flies, flesh, and oily substances; (see Deuteronomy 14:18-19).

bate (-s), v. [Fr < L. 'beat, strike'; see abate, v.]

Lessen; retrench; diminish; reduce; [fig.] silence; muffle; stifle the sound of; suppress the noise of.

bathe (-d), v. [OE.] (webplay: sand).

1. Wet; moisten; drench; suffuse with blood; (see Isaiah 34:5).
2. Wash; cleanse; immerse; baptize; bedew; [fig.] involve; include; cover; cause to participate.

Batize, proper n. [see Balize; variant spelling of “Belize” in the Johnson editions.]

baton, n. [Fr.]

Staff; rod of office; stick of authority; thin wand for conducting music.

Batshia, [see Bartsia.]

batter (-ed), v. [OFr.]

Destroy; smash; dismantle; break; beat repeatedly; cause to fall; (see 2 Samuel 20:15).