"sew together loosely," mid-15c., from O.Fr. bastir "build, construct, sew up (a garment), baste, make, prepare, arrange" (12c., Mod.Fr. bâtir "to build"), from Frankish *bastjan "to sew or bind with bast," from P.Gmc. *bastjan "join together with bast" (cf. O.H.G. besten; see
bast).