Basicerite Ba·sic"er·ite (bȧ*sĭs"ẽr*ōt) noun [ Basi- + Greek ke`ras horn, antenna.] (Zoology) The second joint of the antennæ of crustaceans.

Basicity Ba·sic"i·ty noun (Chemistry) (a) The quality or state of being a base. (b) The power of an acid to unite with one or more atoms or equivalents of a base, as indicated by the number of replaceable hydrogen atoms contained in the acid.

Basidiomycetes Ba·sid`i·o·my·ce"tes noun plural [ New Latin , from New Latin & English basidium + Greek ..., ..., fungus.] (Botany) A large subdivision of fungi coördinate with the Ascomycetes , characterized by having the spores borne on a basidium. It embraces those fungi best known to the public, such as mushrooms, toadstools, etc.

Basidiospore Ba·sid"i·o·spore noun [ Basidium + spore .] (Botany) A spore borne by a basidium. -- Ba*sid`i*o*spor"ous adjective

Basidium Ba·sid"i·um noun [ New Latin , dim. of Greek ba`sis base.] (Botany) A special oblong or pyriform cell, with slender branches, which bears the spores in that division of fungi called Basidiomycetes , of which the common mushroom is an example.

Basifier Ba"si·fi`er noun (Chemistry) That which converts into a salifiable base.

Basifugal Ba·sif"u·gal adjective [ Base , noun + Latin fugere to flee.] (Botany) Tending or proceeding away from the base; as, a basifugal growth.

Basify Ba"si·fy transitive verb [ Base + - fy .] (Chemistry) To convert into a salifiable base.

Basigynium Ba`si·gyn"i·um noun [ New Latin , from Greek basis base + gynh woman.] (Botany) The pedicel on which the ovary of certain flowers, as the passion flower, is seated; a carpophore or thecaphore.

Basihyal Ba`si·hy"al adjective [ Basi- + Greek υ (the letter "upsilon"); from the shape.] (Anat.) Noting two small bones, forming the body of the inverted hyoid arch.

Basihyoid Ba`si·hy"oid noun [ Basi- + hyoid .] (Anat.) The central tongue bone.

Basil Bas"il (băz"ĭl) noun [ Confer French basile and English Bezel .] The slope or angle to which the cutting edge of a tool, as a plane, is ground. Grier.

Basil Bas"il transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Basiled ; present participle & verbal noun Basiling .] To grind or form the edge of to an angle. Moxon.

Basil Bas"il noun [ French basilic , from Latin basilicus royal, Greek basiliko`s from basiley`s king.] (Botany) The name given to several aromatic herbs of the Mint family, but chiefly to the common or sweet basil ( Ocymum basilicum ), and the bush basil, or lesser basil ( O. minimum ), the leaves of which are used in cookery. The name is also given to several kinds of mountain mint ( Pycnanthemum ).

Basil thyme , a name given to the fragrant herbs Calamintha Acinos and C. Nepeta . -- Wild basil , a plant ( Calamintha clinopodium ) of the Mint family.

Basil Bas"il (băz"ĭl) noun [ Corrupt. from English basan , French basane , Late Latin basanium , bazana , from Arabic bithāna , prop., lining.] The skin of a sheep tanned with bark.

Basilar, Basilary Bas"i·lar, Bas"i·la·ry adjective [ French basilaire , from Latin basis . See Base , noun ] 1. Relating to, or situated at, the base.

2. Lower; inferior; applied to impulses or springs of action. [ R.] " Basilar instincts." H. W. Beecher.

Basilic Ba·sil"ic noun [ French basilique .] Basilica.

Basilic, Basilical Ba·sil"ic, Ba·sil"ic·al adjective [ See Basilica .] 1. Royal; kingly; also, basilican.

2. (Anat.) Pertaining to certain parts, anciently supposed to have a specially important function in the animal economy, as the middle vein of the right arm.

Basilica Ba·sil"i·ca noun ; plural Basilicas ; sometimes Basilicæ (-sē). [ Latin basilica , Greek basilikh` (sc. o'iki`a or stoa` from basiliko`s royal, from basiley`s king.] 1. Originally, the palace of a king; but afterward, an apartment provided in the houses of persons of importance, where assemblies were held for dispensing justice; and hence, any large hall used for this purpose.

2. (Architecture) (a) A building used by the Romans as a place of public meeting, with court rooms, etc., attached. (b) A church building of the earlier centuries of Christianity, the plan of which was taken from the basilica of the Romans. The name is still applied to some churches by way of honorary distinction.

Basilica Ba·sil"i·ca noun A digest of the laws of Justinian, translated from the original Latin into Greek, by order of Basil I., in the ninth century. P. Cyc.

Basilican Ba·sil"i·can adjective Of, relating to, or resembling, a basilica; basilical.

There can be no doubt that the first churches in Constantinople were in the basilican form.
Milman.

Basilicok Ba·sil"i·cok noun [ Old French basilicoc .] The basilisk. [ Obsolete] Chaucer

Basilicon Ba·sil"i·con noun [ Latin basilicon , Greek basiliko`n neut. of basiliko`s confer French basilicon . See Basilica .] (Medicine) An ointment composed of wax, pitch, resin, and olive oil, lard, or other fatty substance.

Basilisk Bas"i·lisk noun [ Latin basiliscus , Greek basiliskos little king, kind of serpent, dim. of basileys king; -- so named from some prominences on the head resembling a crown.] 1. A fabulous serpent, or dragon. The ancients alleged that its hissing would drive away all other serpents, and that its breath, and even its look, was fatal. See Cockatrice .

Make me not sighted like the basilisk .
Shak.

2. (Zoology) A lizard of the genus Basiliscus , belonging to the family Iguanidæ .

» This genus is remarkable for a membranous bag rising above the occiput, which can be filled with air at pleasure; also for an elevated crest along the back, that can be raised or depressed at will.

3. (Mil.) A large piece of ordnance, so called from its supposed resemblance to the serpent of that name, or from its size. [ Obsolete]

Basin Ba"sin noun [ Old French bacin , French bassin , Late Latin bacchinus , from bacca a water vessel, from Latin bacca berry, in allusion to the round shape; or perhaps from Celtic. Confer Bac .]

1. A hollow vessel or dish, to hold water for washing, and for various other uses.

2. The quantity contained in a basin.

3. A hollow vessel, of various forms and materials, used in the arts or manufactures, as that used by glass grinders for forming concave glasses, by hatters for molding a hat into shape, etc.

4. A hollow place containing water, as a pond, a dock for ships, a little bay. Pope

5. (Physical Geology) (a) A circular or oval valley, or depression of the surface of the ground, the lowest part of which is generally occupied by a lake, or traversed by a river. (b) The entire tract of country drained by a river, or sloping towards a sea or lake.

6. (Geol.) An isolated or circumscribed formation, particularly where the strata dip inward, on all sides, toward a center; -- especially applied to the coal formations, called coal basins or coal fields .

Basined Ba"sined adjective Inclosed in a basin. " Basined rivers." Young.

Basinet Bas"i·net noun Same as Bascinet .

Basioccipital Ba`si·oc·cip"i·tal adjective [ Basi- + occipital .] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the bone in the base of the cranium, frequently forming a part of the occipital in the adult, but usually distinct in the young. -- noun The basioccipital bone.

Basion Ba"si·on noun [ Greek ba`sis a base.] (Anat.) The middle of the anterior margin of the great foramen of the skull.

Basipodite Ba·sip"o·dite noun [ Basi- + poy`s , podo`s foot.] (Anat.) The basal joint of the legs of Crustacea.

Basipterygium Ba·sip`te·ryg"i·um noun [ New Latin , from Greek ba`sis a base + ptery`gion a fin.] (Anat.) A bar of cartilage at the base of the embryonic fins of some fishes. It develops into the metapterygium. -- Ba*sip`ter*yg"i*al adjective

Basipterygoid Ba`sip·ter"y·goid adjective & noun [ Basi- + pterygoid .] (Anat.) Applied to a protuberance of the base of the sphenoid bone.

Basis Ba"sis (bā"sĭs) noun ; plural Bases (-sēz). [ Latin basis , Greek ba`sis . See Base , noun ] 1. The foundation of anything; that on which a thing rests. Dryden.

2. The pedestal of a column, pillar, or statue. [ Obsolete]

If no basis bear my rising name.
Pope.

3. The groundwork; the first or fundamental principle; that which supports.

The basis of public credit is good faith.
A. Hamilton.

4. The principal component part of a thing.

Basisolute Ba·sis"o·lute (bȧ*sĭs"o*lūt) adjective [ Basi- + solute , adjective ] (Botany) Prolonged at the base, as certain leaves.

Basisphenoid Ba`si·sphe"noid noun (Anat.) The basisphenoid bone.

Basisphenoid, Basisphenoidal Ba`si·sphe"noid, Ba`si·sphe·noid"al adjective [ Basi- + sphenoid .] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to that part of the base of the cranium between the basioccipital and the presphenoid, which usually ossifies separately in the embryo or in the young, and becomes a part of the sphenoid in the adult.

Bask Bask (bȧsk) intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Basked (bȧskt); present participle & verbal noun Basking .] [ OScand. baðask to bathe one's self, or perhaps bakask to bake one's self, sk being reflexive. See Bath , noun , Bake , transitive verb ] To lie in warmth; to be exposed to genial heat.

Basks in the glare, and stems the tepid wave.
Goldsmith.

Bask Bask transitive verb To warm by continued exposure to heat; to warm with genial heat.

Basks at the fire his hairy strength.
Milton.

Basket Bas"ket noun [ Of unknown origin. The modern Celtic words seem to be from the English.] 1. A vessel made of osiers or other twigs, cane, rushes, splints, or other flexible material, interwoven. "Rude baskets . . . woven of the flexile willow." Dyer.

2. The contents of a basket; as much as a basket contains; as, a basket of peaches.

3. (Architecture) The bell or vase of the Corinthian capital. [ Improperly so used.] Gwilt.

4. The two back seats facing one another on the outside of a stagecoach. [ Eng.] Goldsmith.

Basket fish (Zoology) , an ophiuran of the genus Astrophyton , having the arms much branched. See Astrophyton . -- Basket hilt , a hilt with a covering wrought like basketwork to protect the hand. Hudibras. Hence, Basket-hilted , adjective -- Basket work , work consisting of plaited osiers or twigs. -- Basket worm (Zoology) , a lepidopterous insect of the genus Thyridopteryx and allied genera, esp. T. ephemeræformis . The larva makes and carries about a bag or basket-like case of silk and twigs, which it afterwards hangs up to shelter the pupa and wingless adult females.

Basket Bas"ket transitive verb To put into a basket. [ R.]

Basket ball Bas"ket ball` A game, usually played indoors, in which two parties of players contest with each other to toss a large inflated ball into opposite goals resembling baskets.

Basketful Bas"ket·ful noun ; plural Basketfuls As much as a basket will contain.

Basketry Bas"ket·ry noun The art of making baskets; also, baskets, taken collectively.

Basking shark Bask"ing shark` (Zoology) One of the largest species of sharks ( Cetorhinus maximus ), so called from its habit of basking in the sun; the liver shark, or bone shark. It inhabits the northern seas of Europe and America, and grows to a length of more than forty feet. It is a harmless species.

Basnet Bas"net noun Same as Bascinet .

Basommatophora Ba·som`ma·toph"o·ra (bȧ*sŏm`mȧ*tŏf"o*rȧ) noun plural [ New Latin , from Greek ba`sis base + 'o`mma eye + fe`rein to bear.] (Zoology) A group of Pulmonifera having the eyes at the base of the tentacles, including the common pond snails.

Bason Ba"son (bā"s'n) noun A basin. [ Obsolete or Special form]

Basque Basque (bȧsk) adjective [ French] Pertaining to Biscay, its people, or their language.

Basque Basque (bȧsk) noun [ French] 1. One of a race, of unknown origin, inhabiting a region on the Bay of Biscay in Spain and France.

2. The language spoken by the Basque people.

3. A part of a lady's dress, resembling a jacket with a short skirt; -- probably so called because this fashion of dress came from the Basques .

Basquish Basqu"ish adjective [ French Basque Biscayan: confer German Baskisch .] Pertaining to the country, people, or language of Biscay; Basque [ Obsolete] Sir T. Browne.

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