Bake (bāk), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Baked (bākt); p. pr. & vb. n.Baking.] [AS. bacan; akin to D. bakken, OHG. bacchan, G. backen, Icel. & Sw. baka, Dan. bage, Gr. fw`gein to roast.]

1. To prepare, as food, by cooking in a dry heat, either in an oven or under coals, or on heated stone or metal; as, to bake bread, meat, apples.

☞ Baking is the term usually applied to that method of cooking which exhausts the moisture in food more than roasting or broiling; but the distinction of meaning between roasting and baking is not always observed.

2. To dry or harden (anything) by subjecting to heat, as, to bake bricks; the sun bakes the ground.

3. To harden by cold.

The earth . . . is baked with frost. Shak.

They bake their sides upon the cold, hard stone.Spenser. Spenser.

Bake , n. The process, or result, of baking.

Bake , v. i.

1. To do the work of baking something; as, she brews, washes, and bakes.Shak.

2. To be baked; to become dry and hard in heat; as, the bread bakes; the ground bakes in the hot sun.

-- Webster's unabridged 1913