Dictionaries of the Scots Language
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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Bas, Basse, a. Also: bass, basch. [ME. bas. bass (Gower), basse, F. bas masc,. basse fem., It. basso, late L. bassus.] = Base a.

1. a. Bas fee, tenure in villeinage. Bas sesing, a sasine by ‘base right’. 1478 Acta Conc. 8/2.
Johne … sall infeft and gife the bas fee of the said landis … to the saide Cristiane Ib. 13.
For the quhilk the said Robert … has na maner of fee, nouther richt heretage nor bass fee 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 106.
William Ballentyne confesis him selff to have ane bas sesing of William Bruces … vpon the landis of Soundbrugh

b. Of low or mean estate or rank. a1568 Scott vi. 6.
For luve makis nobill ladeis thrall To bassir men of birth and blud 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 33.
For law degrie or basse estait 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 1005.
Ane baxteris sone of bas degrie 1600-1610 Melvill 213.
The bas and cursest sort amang the peple 1626 Garden Worthies 122.
By there birth bot bass [: mass]

c. Base-born; illegitimate. 1614 Melrose P. I. 132.
The bas sone of the laite Lord Sanquhair 1657 Balfour Ann. I. 3; Ib. II. 54.
Duncane, basse sone to K. Malcolme

2. a. Of the voice: Low-pitched, bass.1513 Doug. iii. v. 76 (with a bas voce); ix. vi. 28. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 152 (with hevy basse voce).

b. Low in material value. 1597 Acts IV. 122/1.
The vnce thairof being of xij deneiris or beand basser

3. Low in merit, worth, or estimation.c1590 J. Stewart 65/15 (my braine is bass). 1585 James VI Ess. 23 (with courage basse); 64 (when ȝour subiect is basse). c1590 Fowler I. 55/196 (my style, my verse ar ower bass and wake).

4. Base, unworthy, despicable.a1605 Montg. Sonn. lvii. 11 (in bondage basse). 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. Prayer 24 (basse desire of wardlie thingis). 1625 Garden Kings 62 (a bass ambition); 68 (bass, corrupt counsalours). 1657 Balfour Ann. I. 83 (a basse and villanous wretche). 1686 Glamis Bk. Rec. 15 (a bas uncivil raskel).