Middle English Dictionary Entry
bās(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bās(e n. Also bace, baas, bays, & basse. |
| Etymology | OF base, basse, from L basis. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The foundation or base (of a building or some other structure); ~ ston, the ground course of stone; ~ pece, ?the landing (of the stairs); (b) the base (of a pillar), the pedestal (of a statue, cross); (c) the base (of a vessel).
Associated quotations
a
- (1317) Doc.Manor in MP 3459 : j quercus prostrati in Hescoo pro Dorstalles et baces ad dictam bercariam.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1329 : Þe bases þat hem bere wiþ golde were bi-go.
- a1400 ?Chaucer Astr.Suppl.(StJ-C E.2:Benson-Robinson)43/3 : Yif..thou mayst nat come to the baas of the tour.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)1000 : Þe foundementez twelue..Jasper hyȝt þe fyrst gemme Þat I on þe fyrst basse con wale..Saffer helde þe secounde stale.
- (1417) Doc.in Sur.Soc.8511 : To the third post on the base stane of Robert of Feriby.
- (1427-8) Rec.St.Mary at Hill68 : A base vj fote longe and two fote brede ioynynge for þe same gate..Also payd for a lode ston þe bas of þe rode loft.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)20 : Bace or fundament: Basis.
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57323 : For ij new steyres a base pece and vij new steppes.
- (1473-4) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum15 : The stony basis of the sperys of the north ile.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)9b : A Bays: Basis.
b
- ?c1335(a1300) Cokaygne (Hrl 913)p.146 : Þe pilers..Wiþ har bas and capitale.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1278 : Þe bases of þe bryȝt postes.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1480 : Basez of brasse þat ber up þe werkes.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)47/9 : Þe base of þe piler to whilk Criste was bunden.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1652 : Pilers..The bases & bourdurs all of bright perle.
- (?c1450) R.St.Edmund in Archaeol.42403 : ij new tabernacles to the ymage, ij base stones.
- (1454-5) Acc.St.Ewen in BGAS 15158 : For a baas of tre to sette the best cros on.
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4919 : I wil that the ymage of oure lady..be set vp ageyn the peleer..with the baas redy therto.
- (1480-82) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.32148 : Paid to a mason for taking oute of a Stone and setting in of the bace of the Resurreccion that the tabernacle stoneth vpon, iiij d.; item, paid to the kerver for making of the bace, xxij d.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)4.38.82a : The legges of this ymage [of gouernaunce] be made of iren..The knees be the capitales and the feet the bases, þat ber alle in fere.
c
- c1450 WBible(2) (Bod 277)Ex.31.9 : Baas [Roy: the greet waischyng vessel with his foundement].
2.
Miscel. uses [prob. in part from adj. bās low]: (a) a cloth or pad put under a horse's collar; (b) the base or palm (of the hand); (c) the lower part of a gown, skirt.
Associated quotations
a
- (1369) Invent.Monk-Wear.in Sur.Soc.29162 : Et in quinque colers cum uno base pro equis carettae e. vj s. ix d.
b
- (c1475) in Singer Cat.Alchem.2.p.618 : Rubbe hit well with basse of thi handes.
c
- a1509(?1468) Marriage in Archaeol.31 (Add 46354)334 : A short gowne of goldsmythe worke, the base of that gowne mervelously riche.
3.
Alch. The alloy of base metals (lead, tin, copper, iron) with which the alchemist started operations [also called 'the body'].
Associated quotations
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)44b : Aurum potabile thus is made Of gold..Out of the base drawen with the menstrue circulate.
- a1550 *Ripley CAlch.(BodeMus 63)45a : We make calx vnctuous, both whit & Redd, of three degrees, or our base be perfit fluxible as wax.
- 1652(?1471) Ripley Epis.Edw.IV in Ashmole TC (AshmTC)112 : All is but one Thing..In kinde, which is our Base principally, Whereof doth spring both Whyte and Red naturally.