basa¹ head / head, mind, as the seat of intelligence / height, [...]

Part of Speech	noun, relational
Phonetic Form	ᵐbasa
Proto-Form	POc: *ᵐbatu
Tanema Equivalent	base
Lovono Equivalent	basa

1. • head
   • • Anat

   Typical Subject	animal, hum
   (Part of) Synonym (for)	wabasa

   • • Example 333:
       

       Basa ene i-meli.

       My head aches.

     • Example 334:
       

       Taluaito ini basa beme, kape i-padi basa ini.

       The (heathen) priest had a bald head, which he would paint.

2. • head, mind, as the seat of intelligence

   Typical Subject

   hum

   • • Example 335:
       

       Basa eo i-epele.

       [your head is smart] You're smart.

     • Example 336:
       

       Basa eo mumule!

       [your head is stupid] You're a fool!

     • Example 337:
       

       Basa tae!

       [No head!] You mindless!

     • Example 338:
       

       Dapa damala, basa dapa wako.

       White people are clever. [their head is good]

3. • height, vertical size

   Typical Subject	s.o.
   Sense Comment	meton

   • • Example 339:
       

       iote basa kuledi

       the shorter one [lit. the one with short size]

4. • head, root

   Typical Subject

   plant

   • • Example 340:
       

       basa kava

       a head of kava

5. • one of the two ends of ‹a ship›; esp. front part, prow

   Typical Subject	ship
   (Part of) Antonym (for)	teviri
   (Part of) Synonym (for)	noma teviumu menuko

   • • Example 341:
       

       I-ium’ i-le, i-tau uro i-wene ne basa kuo iape teve tilu pon.

       First, he will burn some charcoal and rub it onto the two ends of the canoe.

       Example Comment

       magic on a canoe

       Example URL

       https://doi.org/10.24397/pangloss-0003350#S19

6. • prominent part of ‹s.th.›

Related entries

• See also:
  • viabasa headhair
  • kuo canoe, esp. traditional canoe made of a single trunk, with no outrigger / boat, ship, from other cultures / “canoe tree”: k.o. tree (unidentified), traditionally chosen for making canoes – hence its name