verb

baste

bayst

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Baste (verb) means to drip melted fat, butter, or juices over food (usually meat) while it cooks, to keep it moist. Example: “Baste the turkey every twenty minutes so the skin stays juicy.”

verb

To drip melted fat, butter, or juices over food (usually meat) while it cooks, to keep it moist.

"Baste the turkey every twenty minutes so the skin stays juicy."

"She basted the chicken with garlic butter as it roasted."

To sew with long, loose, temporary stitches before the final sewing.

"He basted the hem in place before stitching it properly on the machine."

How to use baste

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishIn cooking: spooning fat or juices over food as it roasts. In sewing: tacking fabric together loosely before the real stitching.

Common mistake

Don't confuse with "baste" meaning to beat someone (an old, rare sense) — the cooking and sewing meanings are the ones people actually use today.

Common pairings

baste the turkey baste with butter baste a hem

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Word forms

Plural: bastes
Third person singular: bastes
Past tense: basted

Test yourself on “baste” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

_____ the turkey every twenty minutes so the skin stays juicy.

Etymology

From Old French bastir, "to build or sew up a garment" — the cooking sense (dripping fat over meat) developed separately in English.

Origin: Old French

Synonyms

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batter tack clobber

Related words

hit stuff add piece strike debate combat cream

Rhymes for baste

waste haste taste paste caste chaste namaste distaste toothpaste aftertaste

See all rhymes for baste →

Frequently asked questions

What does “baste” mean?

The word “baste” means to drip melted fat, butter, or juices over food (usually meat) while it cooks, to keep it moist. In plain terms, in cooking: spooning fat or juices over food as it roasts. In sewing: tacking fabric together loosely before the real stitching.

How do you pronounce “baste”?

“Baste” is pronounced bayst (/beɪst/ in IPA).

How do you use “baste” in a sentence?

Here is “baste” used in a sentence: “Baste the turkey every twenty minutes so the skin stays juicy.”

What part of speech is “baste”?

“Baste” is a verb.

Where does the word “baste” come from?

The word “baste” comes from Old French. From Old French bastir, "to build or sew up a garment" — the cooking sense (dripping fat over meat) developed separately in English.

How many meanings does “baste” have?

“Baste” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to drip melted fat, butter, or juices over food (usually meat) while it cooks, to keep it moist.

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