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. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Arch.) The bell or vase of the Corinthian capital. [ Improperly so used. ] Gwilt. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The two back seats facing one another on the outside of a stagecoach. [ Eng. ] Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. 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 ephemeræformis. 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 ]

v. t. To put into a basket. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A ball game, usually played indoors in an area called the basketball court, in which two opposing teams of five players each contest with each other to toss a large inflated ball (the basketball) into opposite goals (baskets) resembling baskets, each typically a cylindrical mesh suspended from a circular rim which is held ten feet above the court. A goal scored by passing the basketball through the basket may count from one to three points, depending on the situation in which it was thrown.
Syn. -- basketball game. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

2. The inflatable ball used in the game of basketball. [ PJC ]

n.; pl. Basketfuls As much as a basket will contain. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The art of making baskets; also, baskets, taken collectively. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The stomach. [ Humorous ] S. Foote. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See 1st Buck. ] A basket in which clothes are carried to the wash. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a container that is usually woven and has handles.
Syn. -- basket. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

go to hell in a handbasket to deteriorate substantially and quickly; as, after they lost the contract, the company's profits went to hell in a handbasket. [ PJC ]

n. a wood or metal receptacle placed on a desk to hold incoming material requiring attention, especially documents.
Syn. -- in-tray, in-box. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A basket used in offices, libraries, etc., as a receptacle for waste paper. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A basket for holding materials for needlework, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ]