Also prisoner’s base; in 5 bace, 6 baase. [either a specific use of BASE sb.1 III., or a phonetic corruption of bars (cf. BAR sb.1, and BASE sb.5, 6); if the latter is the real origin, the former accounts equally well for the sense.] A popular game among boys; it is played by two sides, who occupy contiguous ‘bases’ or ‘homes’; any player running out from his ‘base’ is chased by one of the opposite side, and, if caught, made a prisoner.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 20/2. Bace, pleye … barri, barrorum, dantur ludi puerorum.
1558. Phaër, Æneid, V. O j, Thys kind of pastime fyrst, and custome boyes to learne at Baase, Ascanius … dyd bryng in place.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., V. iii. 20. Lads more like to run The Country base, then to commit such slaughter.
1653. Greaves, Seraglio, 80. The Jeeret [is] a kind of running at base on horsback.
1880. Boy’s Own Bk., 27. Prisoners’ Base is a capital game for cold weather.
† b. To bid base: to challenge to a chase in this game; gen. to challenge. Hence base-bidding adj.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Luke iv. I (R.). The spirite of wickednesse … biddeth bace, and begynneth firste with hym, of whom he was to be subdued.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., li. To bid the wind a base he now prepares.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T. (1613), 69. Sportiue Base-bidding Roundelayes.
1641. Milton, Animadv., Wks. (1851), 202. I shall not intend this hot season to bid you the base through the wide, and dusty Champaine of the Councels.
