or BasioGLOSSUS. See BasioGLOSSUM.

Basil, in geography, a city and canton of Switzerland, near the confines of Alsace, situated on both sides the river Rhine.

The city is large, populous, and fortified; being situated in \(7^\circ 40'\) E. long. and \(47^\circ 40'\) N. lat.

Basil, in botany. See Ocymum.

Basil, among joiners, the sloping edge of a chisel, or of the iron of a plane, to work on soft wood: They usually make the basil 12 degrees, and for hard wood 18; it being remarked, that the more acute the basil is, the better the instrument cuts; and the more obtuse, the stronger and fitter it is for service.

Order of St Basil, the most ancient of all the religious orders, was very famous in the east. It passed into the west about the year 1057, and was held in great esteem, especially in Italy. As to their rules, the Italian monks of that order fast every Friday in the year. They eat meat but three times a week, and then but once a day: They work all together at certain hours of the day: Their habit is nearly like that of the Benedictines, and they wear a small beard like the fathers of the mission.

BASILARE or, in anatomy, the same as sphenoides. See Sphenoides.