Part 541

Bas"il (bz"l), n. [Cf. F. basile and E. Bezel.] The slope or angle to which the cutting edge of a tool, as a plane, is ground. Grier.

Bas"il, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Basiled (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Basiling.] To grind or form the edge of to an angle. Moxon.

Bas"il, n. [F. basilic, fr. L. basilicus royal, Gr. basiliko`s fr. basiley`s king.] (Bot.) 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.

Bas"il (bz"l), n. [Corrupt. from E. basan, F. basane, LL. basanium, bazana, fr. Ar. bithna, prop., lining.] The skin of a sheep tanned with bark.

{ Bas"i*lar (&?;), Bas"i*la*ry (&?;), } a. [F. basilaire, fr. L. basis. See Base, n.] 1. Relating to, or situated at, the base.

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

Ba*sil"ic (&?;), n. [F. basilique.] Basilica.

{ Ba*sil"ic (&?;), Ba*sil"ic*al (&?;), } a. [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.

Ba*sil"i*ca (&?;), n.; pl. Basilicas (&?;); sometimes Basilicæ (-s). [L. basilica, Gr. basilikh` (sc. o'iki`a or stoa` fr. basiliko`s royal, fr. 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. (Arch.) (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.

Ba*sil"i*ca, n. 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.

Ba*sil"i*can (&?;), a. 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.

Ba*sil"i*cok (&?;), n. [OF. basilicoc.] The basilisk. [Obs.] Chaucer

||Ba*sil"i*con (&?;), n. [L. basilicon, Gr. basiliko`n neut. of basiliko`s cf. F. basilicon. See Basilica.] (Med.) An ointment composed of wax, pitch, resin, and olive oil, lard, or other fatty substance.

Bas"i*lisk (&?;), n. [L. basiliscus, Gr. 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. (Zoöl.) 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. [Obs.]

Ba"sin (&?;), n. [OF. bacin, F. bassin, LL. bacchinus, fr. bacca a water vessel, fr. L. bacca berry, in allusion to the round shape; or perh. fr. Celtic. Cf. 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 Geog.) (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.