Bas″tard (�), n. [OF. bastard, bastart, F. b�tard, prob. fr. OF. bast, F. b�t, a packsaddle used as a bed by the muleteers (fr. LL. bastum) + -ard. OF. fils de bast son of the packsaddle; as the muleteers were accustomed to use their saddles for beds in the inns. See Cervantes, “Don Quixote,” chap. 16; and cf.G. bankert, fr. bank bench.] 1. A “natural” child; a child begotten and born out of wedlock; an illegitimate child; one born of an illicit union.
☞ By the civil and canon laws, and by the laws of many of the United States, a bastard becomes a legitimate child by the intermarriage of the parents at any subsequent time. But by those of England, and of some states of the United States, a child, to be legitimate, must at least be born after the lawful marriage. Kent. Blackstone.
2. (Sugar Refining) (a) An inferior quality of soft brown sugar, obtained from the sirups that have already had several boilings. (b) A large size of mold, in which sugar is drained.
3. A sweet Spanish wine like muscadel in flavor.
Brown bastard is your only drink.
Shak.
4. A writing paper of a particular size. See Paper.