basil

The sweet-smelling leaves of a small plant, used to add flavour to food.

• Add some basil to the sauce.
• She sprinkled fresh basil over the salad.
• Does this pasta dish contain dried basil?

Common phrases: fresh basil, chopped basil, add basil

A small plant with soft, sweet-smelling green leaves, often grown for cooking.

• We grow basil in a pot.
• The basil needs more sunlight.
• She planted basil beside the tomatoes.

Common phrases: grow basil, basil plant, plant basil

Any of various plants closely related to the common cooking herb with sweet-smelling leaves.

• Holy basil grows in the garden.
• The botanist compared several species of basil.
• This wild basil has a different scent from the familiar kitchen herb.

Common phrases: holy basil, wild basil, lemon basil

The sloping angle made by grinding the cutting edge of a woodworking tool.

• The chisel has a narrow basil.
• The joiner checked the basil before sharpening the tool.
• Grinding changed the basil of the plane blade.

Similar words: bevel

Common phrases: basil angle, chisel basil, grind the basil

To grind a tool's cutting edge so that it forms a sharp, sloping angle.

• The joiner will basil the chisel.
• He basiled the blade on a grinding stone.
• Basil the edge carefully before using the tool.

Similar words: bevel

Common phrases: basil a chisel, basil the edge, basil a blade