bass 1
— bassly , adv. — bassness , n. — bassy , adj.
/bays/ , Music.
adj.
1. low in pitch; of the lowest pitch or range: a bass voice; a bass instrument.
2. of or pertaining to the lowest part in harmonic music.
n.
3. the bass part.
4. a bass voice, singer, or instrument.
5. See double bass .
[ 1400-50; late ME, var. of BASE 2 with ss of BASSO ]
bass 2
/bas/ , n. , pl. ( esp. collectively ) bass , ( esp. referring to two or more kinds or species ) basses .
1. any of numerous edible, spiny-finned, freshwater or marine fishes of the families Serranidae and Centrarchidae.
2. (originally) the European perch, Perca fluviatilis.
[ 1375-1425; late ME bas, earlier baers, OE baers (with loss of r before s as in ASS 2 , PASSEL, etc.); c. D baars, G Barsch, OSw agh-borre ]
bass 3
/bas/ , n.
1. the basswood or linden.
2. Bot. bast.
[ 1685-95; var. of BAST with unexplained loss of -t ]