basket

American  

[bas-kit] / ˈbæs kɪt /

noun

1. a container made of twigs, rushes, thin strips of wood, or other flexible material woven together.

2. a container made of pieces of thin veneer, used for packing berries, vegetables, etc.

3. the amount contained in a basket; a basketful.

   to pick a basket of apples.

4. anything like a basket in shape or use.

   He never empties my wastepaper basket.

5. any group of things or different things grouped as a unit; a package; package deal.

   You can't buy the single stock; you have to take the basket—all companies, stocks and bonds.

6. the car or gondola suspended beneath a balloon, as for carrying passengers or scientific instruments into the atmosphere.

7. Basketball.

   1. an open net suspended from a metal rim attached to the backboard and through which the ball must pass in order for a player to score points.

   2. a score, counting two for a field goal and one for a free throw.

8. Also called snow ring.  Skiing. a ring strapped to the base of a ski pole to limit penetration of the pole in the snow.

9. Slang: Vulgar. the male genitals, especially when outlined by a tight-fitting garment.

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basket British  

/ ˈbɑːskɪt /

noun

1. a container made of interwoven strips of pliable materials, such as cane, straw, thin wood, or plastic, and often carried by means of a handle or handles

2. Also called: basketful.  the amount a basket will hold

3. something resembling such a container in appearance or function, such as the structure suspended from a balloon

4. basketball

   1. an open horizontal metal hoop fixed to the backboard, through which a player must throw the ball to score points

   2. a point or points scored in this way

5. a group or collection of similar of related things

   a basket of currencies

6. informal a euphemism for bastard bastard

7. the list of items an internet shopper chooses to buy at one time from a website

   add these items to your basket

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basket Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing basket

• put all one's eggs in one basket

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Other Word Forms

• basketlike adjective
• unbasketlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of basket

1250–1300; Middle English basket ( te ) < early Romance *baskauta (> French dialect bâchot, bachou wooden or interwoven vessel, Old High German baskiza box) < Latin bascauda basin, perhaps < British Celtic

Example Sentences

Nonetheless, today, at age 78, Hammel-Sawyer is considered one of the Santa Ynez Band’s premier basket makers, with samples of her work on display at three California museums.

From Los Angeles Times

He put in backup guard Jamar Brown and took him out after Brown gave up a basket and fumbled a pass out of bounds for a turnover.

From Los Angeles Times

It took nearly four minutes for USC to find the basket to start the game, its offense picking up right where it left off Saturday in its sluggish loss to UCLA.

From Los Angeles Times

He nearly got one with 8:44 to play when Warriors guard Stephen Curry made a shot that appeared to be a continuation after a foul, but the officials nullified the basket.

From Los Angeles Times

The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six global currency peers, was down nearly 0.2%, to $98.26.

From Barron's

Related Words

• box
• crate