/bayk/ , v. , baked, baking , n.
v.t.
1. to cook by dry heat in an oven or on heated metal or stones.
2. to harden by heat: to bake pottery in a kiln.
3. to dry by, or subject to heat: The sun baked the land.
v.i.
4. to bake bread, a casserole, etc.
5. to become baked: The cake will bake in about half an hour.
6. to be subjected to heat: The lizard baked on the hot rocks.
n.
7. a social occasion at which the chief food is baked.
8. Scot. cracker (def. 1).
[ bef. 1000; ME baken, OE bacan, ptp. boc baked; c. OHG bahhan, past buoh, ON baka; akin to D bakken, G backen, Gk phógein to roast; bheH o g-, bhag- ]