Etymology: Cognate with Middle Dutch bast (Dutch bast), Old Saxon bast (Middle Low German bast), late Old High German bast, past (Middle High German bast, German Bast), Old Icelandic bast, Old Swedish bast (Swedish bast), Old Danish bast (Danish bast), and also (with different ablaut: lengthened o-grade) Middle High German buost rope or tie made of bast; further etymology uncertain and disputed. Further etymology. Several suggestions have been made with regard to the further etymology of the Germanic base, but all pose serious problems. The word has been derived (with a dental suffix) < the same Germanic base as either bare adj. (perhaps with original sense ‘a thing that is scraped (off)’) or besom n. (semantically closer, but itself of disputed etymology). Another suggestion derives the word < the same Indo-European base as classical Latin fascis (see fasces n.), implying an original sense ‘a thing that binds’, with an unexplained substitution of -t- for the -k- extension that is otherwise attested. Perhaps compare Byzantine Greek βαστά sandals, apparently only in Hesychius and attributed by him to Italiote Greeks, probably < Messapian. A verbal derivative of the Germanic base of bast n.¹ was borrowed early into Romance languages but underwent significant sense developments (see discussion at baste v.¹) to the extent that the original connection with bark or trees was lost. Attestation in English. The word is sparsely attested in English before the first half of the 14th cent. However, wider currency is implied by post-classical Latin bastum (13th cent. in British sources; < English). Compare also basten adj. Quot. a1399 at sense 1a could alternatively show a rare borrowing of the English noun into Anglo-Norman Place-name evidence. Attested early in place names, as Bastuwic , Norfolk (1086, now Bastwick), Bastuuic , Norfolk (1086, now Woodbastwick), where the name probably refers to the harvesting of bast in the location or, alternatively, perhaps merely to the presence of lime or linden trees. Specific senses. With sense 1b compare German Bast (1858 or earlier in this sense).

Etymology: < Old French, Middle French bast illegitimacy of birth (mid 13th cent., frequently in de bast illegitimate), probably a back-formation < bastart bastard n. Compare bastard n., bantling n.Further etymology. Many early scholars of Romance linguistics saw this word as the etymon of bastart bastard n., and suggested that bast ‘illegitimacy of birth’ in turn showed a specific application of Old French, Middle French bast packsaddle (13th cent.; French bât ; < post-classical Latin bastum packsaddle (13th cent., but probably attested earlier in spoken use; < *bastare to carry: see bastant adj.)), the semantic connection being explained as an allusion to casual sexual intercourse between muleteers and serving girls at inns; however, this has been called into question by more recent scholarship, and the two bast words are now generally considered unrelated homonyms. See further Französisches etymol. Wörterbuch at bastardus. Specific collocations. With bast son at the adjective compare Old French, Middle French fils de basẗ (late 13th cent.). Earlier attestation as surname. Attested earlier in the personal name Lucus le Bast (1225), although it is unclear whether this reflects currency of the Middle English adjective rather than an (apparently otherwise unattested) instance of the adjective in Anglo-Norman.

Etymology: Variant of bass n.¹, probably by analogy with the variation between bass n.² and bast n.¹

Etymology: < Persian bast bounds, sanctuary, asylum, further etymology uncertain.