Baste

To moisten food while cooking, typically with melted fat, oil, or pan juices, to prevent it from drying out and to add flavor and create a desirable glaze. This process usually involves using a brush or a spoon to apply the liquid repeatedly during cooking. The term can also extend to other actions involving pouring a liquid over something, such as in tailoring where layers of fabric are loosely held together with temporary stitching before the final seams are sewn. Basting can also mean to verbally scold or reprimand someone severely, similar to 'dressing down'. However, this application is significantly less common and often considered figurative or metaphorical.

Baste meaning with examples

• The chef carefully basted the roasting turkey with its own juices every twenty minutes, ensuring a beautifully browned and succulent skin for the Thanksgiving feast. This method maintained moisture and prevented the meat from drying out during the long cooking process, resulting in a truly delicious meal.
• Before the big game, the coach knew that he would have to baste the team in strategy to bring them together as one force, a well-oiled machine. He planned carefully to make sure that the new team had all the best advantages and could act with precision.
• The tailor meticulously basted the lining to the outer fabric of the bespoke jacket, using long, loose stitches to hold them together. This initial step allowed for adjustments and ensured the perfect fit before the permanent seams were sewn, crucial for that polished look.
• After a disastrous performance, the drama teacher decided to baste the students for their terrible acting and lack of preparation. She did not want to hear excuses, and wanted them to be aware of what they had done wrong. This way they could do better next time.