Baston

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Baston \Bas"ton\ (b[a^]s"t[u^]n), n. [OF. baston, F. b[^a]ton,
     LL. basto. See {Bastion}, and cf. {Baton}, and 3d {Batten}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. A staff or cudgel. [Obs.] "To fight with blunt bastons."
        --Holland.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. (Her.) See {Baton}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. An officer bearing a painted staff, who formerly was in
        attendance upon the king's court to take into custody
        persons committed by the court. --Mozley & W.
        [1913 Webster]

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  BASTON. An old French word, which signifies a staff, or club, In some old 
  English statutes the servants or officers of the wardens of the Fleet are so 
  called, because they attended the king's courts with a red staff. Vide 
  Tipstaff.