Inherited from Middle English basken, from Old Norse baðask (“to take a bath”, literally “to bathe oneself”), mediopassive form from underlying baða (“to bathe”) + sik (“oneself”), from Proto-Germanic *baþōną and *sek. Doublet of English bathe.
Meanings
The act of bathing in warmth.
Most cats enjoy a bask in the sunshine.
(collective) A group of crocodiles.
the bask of crocodiles is presented from above, while the herd of hippos is shown in profile. 2011, Diana Craig Patch, Marianne Eaton-Krauss, Susan J. Allen, Dawn of Egyptian Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, page 32:
The threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to health systems in subSaharan Africa (SSA) can be compared metaphorically to a lake in Africa infested with a bask of crocodiles and the saying “the eye of the crocodile.” 2020 March, “COVID-19 threatens health systems in sub-Saharan Africa: the eye of the crocodile”, in Journal of Clinical Investigation, volume 130, number 6, page 2741:
After crossing half a kilometre, we saw a bask of crocodiles sleeping at the river bank. 2021, Ramani Ranjan Khuntia, Don't Kill Me: Earth Is My Mother, Notion Press:
Inherited from Middle English basken, from Old Norse baðask (“to take a bath”, literally “to bathe oneself”), mediopassive form from underlying baða (“to bathe”) + sik (“oneself”), from Proto-Germanic *baþōną and *sek. Doublet of English bathe.
Meanings
(followed by "in", intransitive, usually) To bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat.
The naked Negro, panting at the line, / Baſks in the glare, or ſtems the tepid wave, / And thanks his Gods for all the good they gave. 1764 December 19 (indicated as 1765), Oliver Goldsmith, The Traveller, or A Prospect of Society. A Poem. […], London: […] J[ohn] Newbery, […], →OCLC, page 5:
to bask in the sun
She shivered until she got to the cozy fireplace, where she could bask in the heat coming off it.
There will be no problems with visibility, or the highly changeable Highland weather, as Scotland basks in what is reported to be the country's hottest September day for more than a century. 2021 October 20, Paul Stephen, “Leisure and Pleasure on the Far North Line”, in RAIL, number 942, page 48:
(followed by "in", intransitive, of reptiles, usually) To bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat. ▸ To expose oneself to heat, especially sunlight, in order to raise body temperature, as a form of thermoregulation.
My lizard likes to spend his days basking on the stone near the lamp.
(figuratively, followed by "in", intransitive, usually) To take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warmth or happiness.
to bask in someone’s favour
I basked in her love.
On this evidence they will certainly face tougher tests, as a depleted Newcastle side seemed to bask in the relative security of being ninth in the table 2011 April 10, Alistair Magowan, “Aston Villa 1 - 0 Newcastle”, in BBC Sport:
As President Obama turns his attention once again to filling out a cabinet and writing an Inaugural Address, this much is clear: he should not expect to bask in a surge of national unity, or to witness a crowd of millions overrun the Mall just to say they were there. 2012 November 7, Matt Bai, “Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds”, in New York Times:
apricate (to be exposed to the sun's heat) · sun (to be exposed to the sun's heat)
Translations (40)
ro desfăta (to take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warm or happiness) · pt tomar sol (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · ca disfrutar (to take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warm or happiness) · it crogiolarsi (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · hu sütkérezik (to take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warm or happiness) · el λιάζομαι (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · ko 쬐다 (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · nl zwelgen (to take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warm or happiness) · bg наслаждавам се (to take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warm or happiness) · uk купатися (to take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warm or happiness) · pt gozar (to take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warm or happiness) · mi pāinaina (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · th ผิงแดด (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · nl zijn hartje ophalen (to take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warm or happiness) · mi pārara (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · nl (zich) koesteren (to take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warm or happiness) · uk грітися (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · pt desfrutar (to take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warm or happiness) · es lagartear (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · cy hinoni (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · nl baden (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · hu sütkérezik (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · nl genieten (to take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warm or happiness) · az günəşlənmək (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · th ผิง (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · az özünü günə vermək (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · az özünü günəşə vermək (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · fi paistatella (to take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warm or happiness) · de genießen (to take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warm or happiness) · th ผิงไฟ (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · fr lézarder (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · mi pāina (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · nl zich koesteren (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · it crogiolarsi (to take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warm or happiness) · fr baigner (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · ca gaudir (to take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warm or happiness) · fi paistatella (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · cy bolaheulo (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat) · no kose seg (to take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warm or happiness) · cy torheulo (to bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat)