basket
B1Neutral
Definition
Meaning
A container made of interwoven strips of a flexible material such as cane, straw, or plastic, used for holding or carrying items.
The goal in basketball; a metaphorical grouping or set of items, securities, or currencies; a structure resembling a basket in form or function.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a count noun. The concept can be abstracted to denote any system for grouping items (e.g., a basket of currencies).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'Shopping basket' is common in both. In finance, 'basket' (as in 'currency basket') is used identically. In sports, BrE uses 'basket' for the equipment, while AmE uses 'hoop' more informally for the goal itself.
Connotations
Connotes simplicity, tradition, and handcraft (e.g., 'wicker basket'). In economics, it suggests aggregation and averaging.
Frequency
Very high frequency in both varieties, with near-identical usage patterns.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[VERB] + basket: carry/hold/weave/make/fill a basket[ADJ] + basket: full/empty/woven/wicker/plastic basket[PREP] + basket: in/into/from the basket[QUANTIFIER] + basket: a basket of fruit/eggs/currenciesVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Put all your eggs in one basket”
- “Basket case”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
In finance: 'a basket of currencies' or 'a market basket' used for tracking indices.
Academic
In economics: 'consumer basket' for measuring inflation. In anthropology: studies of weaving techniques.
Everyday
Shopping, storage, gifts, laundry, picnics.
Technical
In computing: a data structure for grouping; in sports: the act of scoring in basketball.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He skillfully basketed the final shot to win the match.
- The fruit is carefully basketed for market.
American English
- She basketed the game-winning shot at the buzzer.
- The apples are sorted and basketed by size.
adverb
British English
- This term is rarely used. No standard adverbial form.
American English
- This term is rarely used. No standard adverbial form.
adjective
British English
- We bought a lovely basket chair for the garden.
- The basket weave on the scarf is intricate.
American English
- She has a basket purse she takes to the farmers market.
- The jacket has a distinct basket-weave pattern.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I put the apples in the basket.
- She carries a shopping basket at the market.
- The cat sleeps in the laundry basket.
- Could you pass me the bread basket, please?
- We need a new wastepaper basket for the office.
- He scored by putting the ball in the basket.
- The charity delivered a basket of essential goods to the family.
- Investing in a single stock is like putting all your eggs in one basket.
- The inflation rate is based on a fixed basket of consumer products.
- The central bank manages the exchange rate against a basket of currencies.
- The anthropological study focused on the symbolic meaning of the ritual basket.
- After the merger, the department was deemed an organisational basket case.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of BASKET as a BASe KETtle? No! Think of a BASK you EAT from - a picnic basket.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTAINER FOR GROUPINGS (e.g., a basket of ideas, a basket of services). LIFE IS A BASKET (put all your eggs in one basket = risk everything on one venture).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- The Russian 'корзина' is a direct equivalent for the physical object.
- Do not use 'basket' to translate 'коробка' (box) or 'ящик' (crate/box).
- The idiom 'basket case' does not relate to a physical basket; it means 'a person or thing that is useless or dysfunctional.'
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect plural: 'baskets' (correct), not 'basket'.
- Using 'basket' for rigid containers like 'box' or 'plastic crate'.
- Misusing the idiom: 'He's a basket case' does not mean he is carrying a basket.
Practice
Quiz
What does 'a basket of currencies' primarily refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'hamper' is typically a large, lidded basket, often used for laundry or a substantial picnic. A 'basket' is a more general term.
Yes, but it's specialist. In basketball, it means 'to score a goal.' It can also mean 'to place in a basket.'
It describes a person, organisation, or thing that is utterly unable to cope, often due to stress or dysfunction.
The main difference is in the first vowel. British: /ˈbɑːskɪt/ ('bah-skit'). American: /ˈbæskɪt/ ('ba-skit').