I. ˈbaskə̇t, -aas-, -ais-, -ȧs-, usu -d.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, probably from (assumed) Old North French baskot (akin to French dialect bâchot wicker basket), from (assumed) Old North French baskou, baskoue (akin to Old French baschoue wooden or wicker vessel), from Latin bascauda dishpan, of Celtic origin; akin to Middle Irish basc necklace — more at fascia
1.
a. : a receptacle made of interwoven osiers, cane, rushes, splints, or other flexible material
b. : any of various lightweight usually wood containers in which berries, fruits, or vegetables are packed, shipped, or sold
c. : the quantity contained in a basket
fishing upstream, I have sometimes in my youth had good baskets with the red worm — John Buchan
2. archaic : charity
3. : anything that resembles a basket especially in shape or use: as
a. Britain : the two back seats facing one another on the outside of a stagecoach
b. : a shallow receptacle sometimes with a bail handle used to serve cake, bread, or rolls
c. : the perforated container for the ground coffee through which heated water seeps in a coffee maker
d. : a metal liner of coarse mesh made to fit into a deep fat fryer and used to hold the food for frying and to lift it from the fryer
e. : the typebars of a typewriter taken as a unit
f. : the perforated metal container in a centrifugal for holding material being processed
4. : the box, cage, or other vessel suspended from a balloon to carry passengers, ballast, and equipment
5.
a. : a net of white cord that is 15 to 18 inches long, open at the bottom, and suspended from a metal ring 18 inches in diameter and that constitutes the goal in basketball
b. : the score made by putting the ball through the basket in basketball ; especially : field goal
an occasional game is won with more points scored on fouls than basket i s — Jimmy Jemail
6. : a square-dance pattern formed by the raised interlocking arms of concentric circles of men and women
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to put or throw into a basket
the pigeons were basketed and sent to several race points
III. adjective
1. : made like a basket : made of basketwork
a basket carriage
2. : used for baskets or basketmaking
basket osiers
3. : with provisions brought in a basket
an old-fashioned basket picnic
IV. noun
1. : a category or collection of items
direct their money into a basket of funds used for loans — New York Times
2. : market basket 2
3. : an aggregate of values (as of selected currencies or commodities) the average of which serves as a monetary standard
4. slang : male genitalia
5. : a ring around the lower end of a ski pole that keeps the pole from sinking too deep in snow
6. : a selection of financial instruments (as equities, futures, or options) the underlying values of which reflect the fluctuations of their markets