Word
bask
US/ˈbæsk/
UK/bˈɑːsk/
Definition
v. to sit or lie in a warm place to get the sun's heat. You can also use it to describe enjoying something pleasant or feeling proud of yourself.
v. to sit or lie in a warm place to absorb heat; by extension, to enjoy or profit from something pleasant or to feel pride in oneself.
Examples
“The cat likes to bask in the sun on the windowsill.”
“The children spent the entire afternoon basking in the warm summer sun at the beach.”
“The team basked in the glory of their victory, knowing that their hard work had finally paid off after months of intense training.”
Examples
simple
“The cat likes to bask in the sun on the windowsill.”
contextual
“The children spent the entire afternoon basking in the warm summer sun at the beach.”
complex
“The team basked in the glory of their victory, knowing that their hard work had finally paid off after months of intense training.”
Real-World Examples
“In true Minnesota fashion, most of the crowd politely stuck around through the final whistle to bask in the beautiful fall weather that’s typical for the region.” Etymology
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/bask