hoop

[ hoop, hoop ]
See synonyms for: hoophoops on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a circular band or ring of metal, wood, or other stiff material.

  2. such a band for holding together the staves of a cask, tub, etc.

  1. a large ring of iron, wood, plastic, etc., used as a plaything for a child to roll along the ground.

  2. a circular or ringlike object, part, figure, etc.

  3. Jewelry. the shank of a finger ring.

  4. Croquet. a wicket.

  5. a circular band of stiff material used to expand and display a woman's skirt.

  6. Basketball Informal.

    • the metal ring from which the net is suspended; rim.

    • the metal ring and net taken together; the basket.

    • the game of basketball.

  7. a decorative band, as around a mug or cup.

verb (used with object)
  1. to bind or fasten with or as if with a hoop or hoops.

  2. to encircle; surround.

Origin of hoop

1
1125–75; Middle English hope, hoop,late Old English hōp; cognate with Dutch hoep

Other words from hoop

  • hoopless, adjective
  • hooplike, adjective
  • un·hooped, adjective

Words Nearby hoop

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use hoop in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for hoop (1 of 2)

hoop1

/ (huːp) /


noun
  1. a rigid circular band of metal or wood

  2. something resembling this

    • a band of iron that holds the staves of a barrel or cask together

    • (as modifier): hoop iron

  1. a child's toy shaped like a hoop and rolled on the ground or whirled around the body

  2. croquet any of the iron arches through which the ball is driven

    • a light curved frame to spread out a skirt

    • (as modifier): a hoop skirt; a hoop petticoat

  3. basketball the round metal frame to which the net is attached to form the basket

  4. a large ring through which performers or animals jump

  5. jewellery

    • an earring consisting of one or more circles of metal, plastic, etc

    • the part of a finger ring through which the finger fits

  6. Australian informal a jockey

  7. go through the hoop or be put through the hoop to be subjected to an ordeal

verb
  1. (tr) to surround with or as if with a hoop

Origin of hoop

1
Old English hōp; related to Dutch hoep, Old Norse hōp bay, Lithuanian kabẽ hook

Derived forms of hoop

  • hooped, adjective
  • hooplike, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for hoop (2 of 2)

hoop2

/ (huːp) /


noun, verb
  1. a variant spelling of whoop

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with hoop

hoop

see jump through hoops.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.