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Basil
Definitions
- 1 A male given name from Ancient Greek, in quiet but steady use in the UK.
""Nonsense. I'm sure he can't have grey hair with such a pretty name as that. Basil Brooke, Basil Brooke," and May chanted the name over and over in her girlish, musical voice. "It sounds like all sorts of pleasant pictures. - -"
- 1 A plant (Ocimum basilicum). uncountable, usually
- 2 The angle to which a joiner's tool is ground away.
"[H]old the edge of your Iron upvvards in your left hand and your VVhet-ſtone in your right, and having firſt ſpit upon your Stone to vvet it, apply it to the Baſil of your Iron, in ſuch a Poſition that it may bear upon the vvhole bredth of the Baſil; and ſo vvorking the Stone over the Baſil, you vvill quickly vvear the courſer grating of the Grind ſtone off the edge on that ſide: […]"
- 3 The skin of a sheep tanned with bark.
"Each sleeper has for covering a large basil (dressed sheep-skin), such as cobblers use for aprons. As they lie in long rows, in the most profound repose, with these dark brown wrappers about them, they present the uniform look and arrangement of a long line of mummies."
- 4 A type of cannon. obsolete
- 5 Acronym of biphasic acid scavenging utilising ionic liquids. abbreviation, acronym, alt-of, uncountable
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- 6 leaves of the common basil; used fresh or dried wordnet
- 7 The leaves of this plant used as a herb. uncountable, usually
- 8 A fetter fastened round the ankle of a prisoner. archaic, historical
"When I once more feel that sharp smarting around the scabby sores that cluster like so many oysters on my ankles beneath my chained iron basils, I know that the tide has turned."
- 9 any of several Old World tropical aromatic annual or perennial herbs of the genus Ocimum wordnet
- 10 Any other species in the genus Ocimum. uncountable, usually
- 1 To grind the edge of a tool to an acute angle. transitive
"These usually large chisels may have the edge basiled on either the inside or the outside of the 90° angle of the blade."
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English basile, from Middle French basile, from Old French basile, from Medieval Latin basilicum, from Ancient Greek βασιλικόν (basilikón, “royal”), from βασιλεύς (basileús, “king”). Doublet of basilic, basilicon, and basilicum; further related to basileus, basilean, and basileiolatry.
Variant of bezel.
Variant of bezel.
Corrupted from English basan, from French basane, from Late Latin basanium, from Arabic بِطانَة (biṭāna, “lining”).
From Old French basile (“basilisk”).
Name of several early saints, particularly in the Orthodox Church, from Latin Basilius, from Ancient Greek Βασίλειος (Basíleios). Doublet of Vasilios and Vasily.
See also for "basil"
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