The word "baster" is a noun that can refer to a couple of different things, depending on the context. Here’s an easy explanation:
Basic Definition:
Kitchen Tool: A baster is a tool used in cooking. It looks like a tube with a rubber bulb at one end. You use it to suck up melted fat or gravy from a pan and then squirt it over roasting meat. This helps keep the meat moist and flavorful while it cooks.
Sewing Term: In sewing, a baster can refer to a person who makes long, loose stitches to hold pieces of fabric together temporarily before they are sewn more securely.
Usage Instructions:
When you're cooking meat, you can use a baster to keep it juicy.
To use it, squeeze the rubber bulb to remove air, then place the tube in the juice or fat, and release the bulb to suck it up. Move it over the meat and squeeze again to let the juice drip onto the meat.
Examples:
Advanced Usage:
In cooking, "to baste" is a verb form related to the use of a baster. It means to pour or brush fat, juices, or marinade over food while it's cooking.
Word Variants:
Baste (verb): To moisten food while cooking, usually with a baster.
Basting (noun): The act of moistening food while it cooks.
Different Meanings:
While "baster" primarily refers to a kitchen tool, in a sewing context, it can refer to a technique or a person involved in temporary stitching.
Synonyms:
For the kitchen tool: Basting syringe, Basting tool.
For the sewing context: Temporary stitcher (though this is less common).
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs: