2. (Mus.) (a) The lowest part in a musical composition. (b) One who sings, or the instrument which plays, bass. [Written also base.]
Thorough bass. See Thorough bass.
Bass, a. Deep or grave in tone.
Bass clef (Mus.), the character placed at the beginning of the staff containing the bass part of a musical composition. [See Illust. under Clef.] -- Bass voice, a deep-sounding voice; a voice fitted for singing bass.
Bass, v. t. To sound in a deep tone. [R.] Shak.
{ Bas"sa (&?;), Bas*saw" } (&?;), n. See Bashaw.
Bass` drum" (&?;). (Mus.) The largest of the different kinds of drums, having two heads, and emitting a deep, grave sound. See Bass, a.
Bas"set (bs"st or bs*st"), n. [F. bassette, fr. It. bassetta. Cf. Basso.] A game at cards, resembling the modern faro, said to have been invented at Venice.
Some dress, some dance, some play, not to forget
Your piquet parties, and your dear basset.
Rowe.
Bas"set (bs"st), a. [Cf. OF. basset somewhat low, dim. of bas low.] (Geol.) Inclined upward; as, the basset edge of strata. Lyell.
Bas"set, n. (Geol.) The edge of a geological stratum at the surface of the ground; the outcrop.
Bas"set, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Basseted; p. pr. & vb. n. Basseting.] (Geol.) To incline upward so as to appear at the surface; to crop out; as, a vein of coal bassets.
Bas"set horn` (hôrn`). [See Basset, a.] (Mus.) An instrument blown with a reed, and resembling a clarinet, but of much greater compass, embracing nearly four octaves.
Bas"set hound` (&?;). [F. basset.] (Zoöl.) A small kind of hound with a long body and short legs, used as an earth dog.
Bas"set*ing, n. The upward direction of a vein in a mine; the emergence of a stratum at the surface.
||Bas*set"to (&?;), n. [It., adj., somewhat low; n., counter tenor. See Basso.] (Mus.) A tenor or small bass viol.
Bass" horn" (&?;). (Mus.) A modification of the bassoon, much deeper in tone.
Bas"si*net (&?;), n. [Cf. F. bassinet, dim. of bassin. See Basin, and cf. Bascinet.] 1. A wicker basket, with a covering or hood over one end, in which young children are placed as in a cradle.