hoop

hoop
    n 1: a light curved skeleton to spread out a skirt
    2: a rigid circular band of metal or wood or other material used
       for holding or fastening or hanging or pulling; "there was
       still a rusty iron hoop for tying a horse" [syn: {hoop},
       {ring}]
    3: a small arch used as croquet equipment [syn: {wicket},
       {hoop}]
    4: horizontal circular metal hoop supporting a net through which
       players try to throw the basketball [syn: {basket},
       {basketball hoop}, {hoop}]
    v 1: bind or fasten with a hoop; "hoop vats"
    

Hoop \Hoop\, n. [OE. hope; akin to D. hoep, hoepel.]
   1. A pliant strip of wood or metal bent in a circular form,
      and united at the ends, for holding together the staves of
      casks, tubs, etc.
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   2. A ring; a circular band; anything resembling a hoop, as
      the cylinder (cheese hoop) in which the curd is pressed in
      making cheese.
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   3. A circle, or combination of circles, of thin whalebone,
      metal, or other elastic material, used for expanding the
      skirts of ladies' dresses; crinoline; -- used chiefly in
      the plural.
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            Though stiff with hoops, and armed with ribs of
            whale.                                --Pope.
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   4. A quart pot; -- so called because originally bound with
      hoops, like a barrel. Also, a portion of the contents
      measured by the distance between the hoops. [Obs.]
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   5. An old measure of capacity, variously estimated at from
      one to four pecks. [Eng.] --Halliwell.
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   {Bulge hoop}, {Chine hoop}, {Quarter hoop}, the hoop nearest
      the middle of a cask, that nearest the end, and the
      intermediate hoop between these two, respectively.

   {Flat hoop}, a wooden hoop dressed flat on both sides.

   {Half-round hoop}, a wooden hoop left rounding and undressed
      on the outside.

   {Hoop iron}, iron in thin narrow strips, used for making
      hoops.

   {Hoop lock}, the fastening for uniting the ends of wooden
      hoops by notching and interlocking them.

   {Hoop skirt}, a framework of hoops for expanding the skirts
      of a woman's dress; -- called also {hoop petticoat}.

   {Hoop snake} (Zool.), a harmless snake of the Southern United
      States ({Abaster erythrogrammus}); -- so called from the
      mistaken notion that it curves itself into a hoop, taking
      its tail into its mouth, and rolls along with great
      velocity.

   {Hoop tree} (Bot.), a small West Indian tree ({Melia
      sempervirens}), of the Mahogany family.
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Hoopoe \Hoop"oe\, Hoopoo \Hoop"oo\, n. [So called from its cry;
   cf. L. upupa, Gr. ?, D. hop, F. huppe; cf. also G.
   wiedenhopf, OHG. wituhopfo, lit., wood hopper.] (Zool.)
   A European bird of the genus {Upupa} ({Upupa epops}), having
   a beautiful crest, which it can erect or depress at pleasure,
   and a slender down-curving bill. Called also {hoop}, {whoop}.
   The name is also applied to several other species of the same
   genus and allied genera.
    

Hoop \Hoop\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Hooped}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Hooping}.]
   1. To bind or fasten with hoops; as, to hoop a barrel or
      puncheon.
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   2. To clasp; to encircle; to surround. --Shak.
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Hoop \Hoop\, v. i. [OE. houpen; cf. F. houper to hoop, to shout;
   -- a hunting term, prob. fr. houp, an interj. used in
   calling. Cf. {Whoop}.]
   1. To utter a loud cry, or a sound imitative of the word, by
      way of call or pursuit; to shout. [Usually written
      {whoop}.]
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   2. To whoop, as in whooping cough. See {Whoop}.
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   {Hooping cough}. (Med.) See {Whooping cough}.
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Hoop \Hoop\, v. t. [Written also whoop.]
   1. To drive or follow with a shout. "To be hooped out of
      Rome." --Shak.
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   2. To call by a shout or peculiar cry.
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Hoop \Hoop\, n.
   1. A shout; a whoop, as in whooping cough.
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   2. (Zool.) The hoopoe. See {Hoopoe}.
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28 Moby Thesaurus words for "hoop":
      anklet, armlet, band, belt, bracelet, cincture, cingulum, collar,
      collarband, earring, ecliptic, equator, fascia, fillet,
      finger ring, girdle, girt, girth, great circle, neckband, necklace,
      nose ring, quoit, ring, wristband, wristlet, zodiac, zone