▪ I.baftAlso 6 boffeta, 6–8 bafta, 9 baftah[Prob. a.Pers.baft, wrought, woven.]A kind of coarse and cheap (generally cotton) fabric, originally of oriental manufacture, but now made in Great Britain for export, especially to Africa.1598W. PhillipsLinschoten'sTrav.Ind.18Cotton Linnen of various sorts..Boffetas.
1612PurchasPilgr. I. 347Baftas or white Callicos.
1722Lond.Gaz.No.6079/7A Parcel of..Pelongs, Cuttanees, chequer'd Bafts, Nillaes, etc.
1779ForrestVoy.N. Guinea 106They purchase blue and red baftaes from the Chinese.
1845StocquelerHandbk.Brit.India (1854) 195Some silk manufactories here[Bhaugulpore]..produce a coarse stuff, called baftah.
1876R. BurtonGorilla L. I. 155Blue baft from which the stiffening has been washed out.
▪ II.baft,adv.andprep.|bɑːft,-æ-|Forms: 1 beæftan, bæftan, -on, -en, 1–3 bæfte, 2 bieften, befte, 3 biæften, biaften, (bafftenn), baften, bæfte, bafte, 4 bafft, 7 be-aft, 3–4, 7–9 baft.[OE.beæftan,f.be by, at + æftan=Goth.aftana behind.Cf.aft.]A.adv.1.Of place: Behind, in the rear; in later usage only Naut.: Astern, aft, abaft. arch.c885K. ælfredOros. i. x. §3Micel ðæs heres ðe mid hiere beæftan wæs.
1205Lay.26927Þa weoren heo biuoren, and Bruttes biaften.
a1300E.E. Psalter lxxviii. 66He smate his faas in baft.
c1325E.E.Allit.P. C. 148Þe bur ber to hit baft þat braste alle her gere.
1687Lond.Gaz.No.2272/4Long Hatches from Fore and baft.
1759Lond.Mag.XXVIII. 32The powder room..was be-aft.
1837MarryatDog-Fiend xiii,‘Are they all forward?’..‘Yes..not one soul baft.’
†2.Of time: After. Obs.rare.1205Lay.31946Hit ilomp inne frimdæȝen, feor her biæften.
†B.prep.[orig.only theadv.with dative of reference.]Behind, to the rear of. Obs.a800O.E.Chron.an. 755Þæs cyninges þeᵹnas þe him be æftan wærun[Laud, bæfton]..Þa men þe he be æftan him læfde ær[Laud, be æfton].
c1000Ags.Gosp.Matt.xvi. 23Gang bæftan me, Satanas!
c1160Hatton G. ibid.,Gange befte me.
c1200Ormin 14688Tacc þær an shep bafftenn þin bacc.
1205Lay.26957Richer and Beduer wenden heom bafte.
c1250Gen.& Ex. 1333Biaften bak he saȝ a s[c]ep.
c1400Beryn 1576Euery man..tofore the Shipp & bafft.
