What does "baste" mean?
A basting; a sprinkling of drippings etc. in cooking.
Baste
/beɪst/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A basting; a sprinkling of drippings etc. in cooking.
- Grammar: baste is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: basting stitch, applique, apply liquid, backstitch.
- Useful contrasts: dry, dry roast, machine stitch.
- Usage evidence: You need to baste the meat while cooking it.
How to use "baste"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "baste" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "baste" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "baste" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "baste" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "baste" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "basting stitch" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "baste", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A basting; a sprinkling of drippings etc. in cooking.
""Just like a leg of mutton being roasted before a slow fire without any one to give it a baste," groaned the old man."
- 2 a loose temporary sewing stitch to hold layers of fabric together wordnet
Verb
- 1 To sew with long or loose stitches, as for temporary use, or in preparation for gathering the fabric. transitive
"He bastes the coat together with thick white thread almost like string, using stitches big enough to be ripped out easily later."
- 2 To sprinkle flour and salt and drip butter or fat on, as on meat in roasting. transitive
- 3 To beat with a stick; to cudgel. archaic, slang
"July 1660, Samuel Pepys, Diaries One man was basted by the keeper for carrying some people over on his back through the waters."
- 4 cover with liquid before cooking wordnet
- 5 To coat over something. broadly, transitive
"Ice Cold Daydream" bastes the bayou funk of the Meters in swirling psychedelia, while "Sweet Thang," a swampy blues cowritten with his dad, sounds like something from Dr. John's "Night Tripper" phase."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 sew together loosely, with large stitches wordnet
- 7 To mark (sheep, etc.) with tar. transitive
- 8 strike violently and repeatedly wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"You need to baste the meat while cooking it."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "baste"?
Common synonyms include: basting stitch, applique, apply liquid, backstitch, bake, bang.
How do you use "baste" in a sentence?
You need to baste the meat while cooking it.
How do you pronounce "baste"?
Pronounced /beɪst/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Late Middle English, from Old French bastir (“build, construct, sew up (a garment)”).
Etymology 2
From Middle English basten, of uncertain etymon, possibly from Old French basser (“moisten, soak”), from bacin (“basin”).
Etymology 3
Perhaps from the cookery sense of baste or from some Scandinavian etymon. Compare Old Norse beysta (“to beat, thresh”) (whence Danish børste (“to beat up”)). Compare also Swedish basa (“to beat with a rod, to flog”) and Swedish bösta (“to thump”). Might be related to French bâton (“stick”) (formerly baston); English baton comes from bâton; see also French bastonnade (“the act of beating with a stick”).