From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
basil
n 1: any of several Old World tropical aromatic annual or
perennial herbs of the genus Ocimum
2: (Roman Catholic Church) the bishop of Caesarea who defended
the Church against the heresies of the 4th century; a
saint and Doctor of the Church (329-379) [syn: Basil,
St. Basil, Basil of Caesarea, Basil the Great, {St.
Basil the Great}]
3: leaves or the common basil; used fresh or dried [syn: {sweet
basil}]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Basil \Bas"il\ (b[a^]z"[i^]l), n. [Cf. F. basile and E.
Bezel.]
The slope or angle to which the cutting edge of a tool, as a
plane, is ground. --Grier.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Basil \Bas"il\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Basiled (?); p. pr. & vb.
n. Basiling.]
To grind or form the edge of to an angle. --Moxon.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Basil \Bas"il\, n. [F. basilic, fr. L. basilicus royal, Gr.
basiliko`s fr. basiley`s king.] (Bot.)
The name given to several aromatic herbs of the Mint family,
but chiefly to the common or sweet basil ({Ocymum
basilicum}), and the bush basil, or lesser basil ({Ocymum
minimum}), the leaves of which are used in cookery. The name
is also given to several kinds of mountain mint
(Pycnanthemum).
[1913 Webster]
Basil thyme, a name given to the fragrant herbs {Calamintha
Acinos} and Calamintha Nepeta.
Wild basil, a plant (Calamintha clinopodium) of the Mint
family.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Basil \Bas"il\ (b[a^]z"[i^]l), n. [Corrupt. from E. basan, F.
basane, LL. basanium, bazana, fr. Ar. bith[=a]na, prop.,
lining.]
The skin of a sheep tanned with bark.
[1913 Webster] Basilar