||Bas"so (&?;), n. [It., fr. LL. bassus. See Base, a.] (Mus.) (a) The bass or lowest part; as, to sing basso. (b) One who sings the lowest part. (c) The double bass, or contrabasso.
||Basso continuo (&?;). [It., bass continued.] (Mus.) A bass part written out continuously, while the other parts of the harmony are indicated by figures attached to the bass; continued bass.
Bas"sock (&?;), n. A hassock. See 2d Bass, 2.
Bas*soon" (&?;), n. [F. basson, fr. basse bass; or perh. fr. bas son low sound. See Bass a part in music. ] (Mus.) A wind instrument of the double reed kind, furnished with holes, which are stopped by the fingers, and by keys, as in flutes. It forms the natural bass to the oboe, clarinet, etc.
Its compass comprehends three octaves. For convenience of carriage it is divided into two parts; whence it is also called a fagot.
Bas*soon"ist, n. A performer on the bassoon. Busby.
{ ||Bas"so-ri*lie"vo (&?;), Bas"so-re*lie"vo } (&?;), n. [It. basso-rilievo.] Same as Bas- relief.
Bas"so*rin (&?;), n. [Cf. F. bassorine.] (Chem.) A constituent part of a species of gum from Bassora, as also of gum tragacanth and some gum resins. It is one of the amyloses. Ure.
Bass"-re*lief` (&?;), n. Same as Bas- relief.
Bass" vi`ol (&?;). (Mus.) A stringed instrument of the viol family, used for playing bass. See 3d Bass, n., and Violoncello.
Bass"wood` (&?;), n. (Bot.) The bass (Tilia) or its wood; especially, T. Americana. See Bass, the lime tree.
All the bowls were made of basswood,
White and polished very smoothly.
Longfellow.
Bast (&?;), n. [AS. bæst; akin to Icel., Sw., Dan., D., & G. bast, of unknown origin. Cf. Bass the tree.] 1. The inner fibrous bark of various plants; esp. of the lime tree; hence, matting, cordage, etc., made therefrom.