verb (common).—To thrash = beat soundly: e.g., ‘I’ll baste your sides, Sirrah, He bang you bastely’ (B. E.): also TO BASTE ONE’S JACKET; ANOINT (q.v.). BASTING = a cudgelling, TANNING (q.v.): also DRY-BASTING; BASTING = (1) a heavy blow, (2) a stick or cudged, and (3) one who thrashes or bastes.
1533. BELLENDEN, Livy, III. (1822), 223. He departit weil BASIT and defuleyeit of his clothing.
1590. SHAKESPEARE, Comedy of Errors, ii. 2. 64. Ant. S. I pray you eat none of it … Lest it make you choleric, and purchase me another dry BASTING.
1599. GREENE, George-a-Greene [GROSART (Works) XIV. 174]. Ile BASTE you both so well, you were neuer better BASTED in your liues.
1605. The Tryall of Chevalry, iii. 1. [BULLEN, A Collection of Old English Plays, III. 305.] But, had I knowne as much, I would have BASTED him till his bones had rattled in his skin.
1611. BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, The Knight of the Burning Pestle, ii., 4.
| Look on my shoulders, they are black and blue: | |
| Whilst to and fro fair Luce and I were winding, | |
| He came and BASTED me with a hedge-binding. |
1660. PEPYS, Diary, July 22. One man was BASTED by the keeper, for carrying some people over on his back, through the water.
1720. SWIFT, Irish Feast, s.v.; 1726. WAGSTAFFE, Misc. Works, s.v.; 1770. SMITH, Bk. Rainy Day (1861). 14.
1772. BRIDGES, A Burlesque Translation of Homer, 2.
| He daily, aye, and nightly, | |
| Took pains to BASTE their jackets tightly. |
1874. E. WOOD, Johnny Ludlow, 1 S., xix., 328. ‘Hold your row, Davvy,’ he roared out, wrathfully; ‘you’d not like me to come back and give you a BASTING.’
