pack saddles; saddle cloths; enough; that's enough
1. Plural of basta - a type of pack saddle or saddle cloth used on pack animals, particularly mules and donkeys
The muleteer adjusted the bastas on the pack animals before the journey.
O tropeiro ajustou as bastas nos animais de carga antes da jornada.
2. Exclamation expressing that something is sufficient; used as an imperative to stop or cease an action
Bastas! I don't want to hear another word about it.
Bastas! Não quero ouvir mais nada sobre isso.
3. A reinforced seam or edge, particularly in textiles and sewing
The seamstress added bastas to reinforce the hem of the dress.
A costureira adicionou bastas para reforçar a bainha do vestido.
In Brazilian Portuguese, particularly in rural, northeastern, and southern regions with strong equestrian traditions, 'bastas' remains relevant terminology for livestock management and pack animal handling. The exclamatory use ('Bastas!') is understood across Brazil as a emphatic way to demand that something stop, though it's somewhat formal or old-fashioned in contemporary urban speech. The word has deep roots in Portuguese colonial history, reflecting centuries of pack animal commerce and agriculture.
Related Idioms & Phrases
Bastas! Chega de brincadeira - Enough! No more joking around
Dar bastas em algo - To put an end to something
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