[a. Sp. basto, in same sense, the whole suit of Clubs being also called Bastos, and the ace being el Basto par excellence; in It. Bastone: cf. baston club, staff.] The ace of clubs in quadrille and ombre.
1675. Cotton, Compl. Gamester (1680), 70. The Malillio or black Deuce, the Basto or Ace of Clubs.
1714. Pope, Rape Lock, III. 53. Him basto follow’d, but his fate more hard, Gain’d but one trump and one plebeian card.
1861. Macm. Mag., Dec., 130. The ace of clubs … is always ranked as the third best trump card, and is called Basto.
