baste
1 Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
verb
verb
Etymology
Origin of baste1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English basten, from Anglo-French, Middle French bastir “to build, baste,” from Germanic; compare Old High German bestan “to mend, patch,” Middle High German besten “to lace, tie”; see also bast
Origin of baste2
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English basten, baist, of obscure origin; perhaps from Old French, Middle French basser “to soak (bread), moisten (meat)”
Origin of baste3
First recorded in 1525–35; variant of baist, perhaps from Old Norse beysta “to beat, thrash”; perhaps from baste 2 ( def. ) (the ladle for cooking used as a weapon)
Explanation
When cooks baste food, they brush or drizzle a savory liquid on it as it's cooking. If you baste your Thanksgiving turkey while it bakes, it will stay moist and tender. A chef might baste grilled vegetables with their marinade, or baste roasting meat with its own oily drippings. The technique keeps food from drying out as it cooks. Another meaning of baste is "to sew loosely." You might quickly baste the hem of a curtain before stitching it securely in place. The origin of the culinary baste is a bit of a mystery, but the sewing term comes from the Old French bastir, "construct" or "sew up."
Vocabulary lists containing baste
Much Ado About Nothing
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Blanch, Poach, and Scald: Cooking Methods
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Bronx Masquerade
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Baste every 25 to 40 minutes depending upon the turkeys total roasting time, aim to baste four to five times over the entire roasting time for your particular bird.
From Salon ● Nov. 25, 2024
You baste every 30 minutes before removing the cheesecloth to cook uncovered to burnish the skin.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 16, 2023
Street vendors across East Asia scrunch small pieces of meat onto skewers and baste them over hot coals with a sweet and savory sauce.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 11, 2023
To add to the flavour, Taylor’s preferred liquid to baste the turkey with is coffee, butter and maple syrup.
From BBC ● Dec. 7, 2022
Put a little water in the pan, and baste frequently, but do not roast too rapidly; raise the pan at least two inches from the bottom of the range.
From Clayton's Quaker Cook-Book Being a Practical Treatise on the Culinary Art Adapted to the Tastes and Wants of all Classes by Clayton, H. J.
When it comes to flavoring and seasoning a steak, I like keeping it minimalist: heavily seasoned with salt and then simply basted with rosemary, garlic and butter.
From Salon ● Feb. 21, 2025
The programme title is a play on Lord Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical The Phantom of the Opera, basted on the novel by Gaston Leroux.
From BBC ● Jan. 20, 2025
It was the second year in a row that Langford hit a game-winning homer in the championship game, having basted a two-run shot in the top of the eighth inning last spring against the Highlanders.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2024
As a child, Yamamoto said he sometimes snacked on soy-sauce basted grasshoppers.
From Reuters ● Jul. 26, 2023
I place a basted skirt in my basket and Mary snatches it, looks at it closely, rips the stitches out, and tosses it at me again.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
In August 2023, the state blamed another botched satellite launch on an error in the emergency basting system, but said it was "not a big issue".
From BBC ● May 21, 2025
Do note that basting can result in less crispy skin.
From Salon ● Nov. 25, 2024
We layer on the flavors - first as a quick marinade for the chicken, then as a basting sauce, and finally as a finishing sauce.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 11, 2023
Uncover the ribs, and bake for 10 minutes more, basting 3 or 4 times with the pan juices until the ribs are well-glazed and browned.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 29, 2022
He held his big basting spoon in his right hand, and he cupped his left under the bowl for fear it would drip on the carpet.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
