bastard \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.

 Note: 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 ? 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.