▪ I. basting, vbl. n.1
(ˈbeɪstɪŋ)
[f. baste v.1]
1. Sewing with large loose stitches; quilting (obs.), ‘tacking’; also attrib., as in basting-thread.
| 1530 Palsgr. 196/2 Bastyng of clothe, bastiment. 1860 R. Cobbold Pict. Chinese 146 When the scissors..have done their work of cutting the material..the next process..answers to our basting. 1870 Daily News 4 Apr., Waistcoats without buttons, coats disfigured by basting threads. |
† 2. Something basted or quilted on; a lining or trimming. Obs.
| c 1525 Skelton Agst. Garnesche 200 The flesche bastyng of hys cote was sewyd with slendyr thred. 1592 Nashe P. Penilesse 12 a, Blisterd with light sarcenet bastings. |
▪ II. ˈbasting, vbl. n.2
[f. baste v.2 + -ing1.]
1. The action of moistening a roasting joint with melted butter, gravy, etc.; also fig. and attrib.
| 1530 Palsgr. 196/2 Bastyng of meate, bastiment. 1550 Crowley Epigr. 365 The tonge must have bastynge, it will the better wagge. 1822 W. Kitchiner Cook's Orac. 187 Put a little bit of butter into your basting-ladle. |
b. The material used for this purpose.
| 1615 Markham Eng. Housew. (1660) 69 To know the best bastings for meat, which is sweet Butter, sweet Oyl, etc. |
2. Candle-making. The process of pouring melted wax from a ladle over the wicks.
| c 1865 Letheby in Circ. Sc. I. 94/1 The operations of basting and rolling are repeated as often as necessary. 1879 G. Gladstone in Cassell's Techn. Educ. II. 75/2 Wax candles are..made by another process, which is termed basting. |
▪ III. ˈbasting, vbl. n.3
[f. baste v.3 + -ing1.]
A cudgelling, beating, thrashing. (In ‘a dry basting’ there is a humorous reference to the preceding.)
| 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. ii. ii. 64 Lest it make you chollericke, and purchase me another drie basting. 1720 Swift Irish Feast Misc. (1735) V. 16 What Stabs and what Cuts..What Bastings and Kicks! 1833 Marryat P. Simple (1863) 64 A good basting..was a sovereign remedy for sea-sickness. |