from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Basket \Bas"ket\, n. [Of unknown origin. The modern Celtic words
seem to be from the English.]
1. A vessel made of osiers or other twigs, cane, rushes,
splints, or other flexible material, interwoven. "Rude
baskets . . . woven of the flexile willow." --Dyer.
[1913 Webster]
2. The contents of a basket; as much as a basket contains;
as, a basket of peaches.
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3. (Arch.) The bell or vase of the Corinthian capital.
[Improperly so used.] --Gwilt.
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4. The two back seats facing one another on the outside of a
stagecoach. [Eng.] --Goldsmith.
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5. A container shaped like a basket[1], even if made of solid
material rather than woven; -- the top is often, but not
always, open and without a lid.
[PJC]
6. a vessel suspended below a balloon, designed to carry
people or measuring instruments for scientific research.
Note: The earliest balloons designed to carry people often
had small vessels of woven flexible vegetable materials
to hold the passengers, which resembled large
baskets[1], from which the name was derived.
[PJC]
7. (Basketball) A goal[3] consisting of a short cylindrical
net suspended from a circular rim, which itself is
attached at about ten feet above floor level to a
backboard, placed at the end of a basketball court. In
professional basketball, two such baskets are used, one at
each end of the court, and each team may score only by
passing the ball though its own basket. In informal games,
only one such basket is often used.
[PJC]
8. (Basketball) An instance of scoring points by throwing the
basketball through the basket; as, he threw four baskets
in the first quarter; -- the ball must pass through the
basket from above in order to score points.
[PJC]
{Basket fish} (Zool.), an ophiuran of the genus
{Astrophyton}, having the arms much branched. See
{Astrophyton}.
{Basket hilt}, a hilt with a covering wrought like basketwork
to protect the hand. --Hudibras. Hence,
{Basket-hilted}, a.
{Basket work}, work consisting of plaited osiers or twigs.
{Basket worm} (Zool.), a lepidopterous insect of the genus
{Thyridopteryx} and allied genera, esp. {Thyridopteryx
ephemer[ae]formis}. The larva makes and carries about a
bag or basket-like case of silk and twigs, which it
afterwards hangs up to shelter the pupa and wingless adult
females.
{collection basket}, a small basket[1] mounted on the end of
a pole, used in churches to collect donations from those
attending a church service; -- the long pole allows the
collector to hold the basket in front of those at the end
of the pew, while the collector remains in the aisle.
{waste basket}, a basket[4] used to hold waste matter, such
as discarded paper, commonly shaped like a truncated cone,
with the wide end open and at the top. Vessels of other
shapes, such as oblong containers, are also called waste
baskets.
[1913 Webster +PJC]