hoop
hoop — noun
- hoopsingular
- hoopsplural
1. a round band made from materials such as metal, wood, or plastic, used as a toy,
a round band made from materials such as metal, wood, or plastic, used as a toy, a decorative item, or to hold parts of a container together
The children rolled a plastic hoop along the pavement with a long stick.
collocation: roll a hoop
Metal hoops hold the wooden staves of the old wine barrel firmly together.
hoops hold [something] together
Daichi bought a large wooden hoop to use as a frame for his weaving project.
The circus performer jumped through a flaming hoop while the audience clapped and cheered.
Lara used a metal hoop to hang the heavy pots above the campfire.
用法筆記
This is the most general sense; the other noun senses refer to specific kinds of hoops used in particular contexts.
常見錯誤
2. the round metal frame with a mesh net hanging below it that basketball players a
the round metal frame with a mesh net hanging below it that basketball players aim for when trying to score
Jude shot the ball and watched it swish through the hoop without touching the rim.
shoot the ball through the hoop
There is a basketball hoop attached to the garage wall where the kids play every afternoon.
Mira leaped up and slammed the ball into the hoop for a powerful dunk.
The hoop at the community court has a torn net that needs replacing before the match.
用法筆記
Frequently used with verbs like 'shoot', 'throw', 'dunk', or 'slam' to describe how the ball goes through or into the hoop.
常見錯誤
3. a short informal way of referring to the sport of basketball
a short informal way of referring to the sport of basketball
Trang plays hoop every Saturday morning at the local sports centre with friends.
play hoop (informal for basketball)
After school the teenagers headed to the park to shoot some hoops before dinner.
shoot hoops (common phrase)
I was never very good at hoop but I enjoyed watching the college tournaments.
Lucas and his cousin spent the whole afternoon playing hoop in the driveway.
- basketball
the full formal name; 'hoop' is a shortened informal equivalent
用法筆記
Used mostly in informal conversation and is especially common in American English. The phrase 'shoot hoops' is a set expression meaning to play basketball casually.
4. an earring shaped like a circle that is worn by passing it through a hole in the
an earring shaped like a circle that is worn by passing it through a hole in the earlobe
Eshe wore a pair of gold hoops that caught the light every time she turned her head.
gold hoops / pair of hoops
Léa bought small silver hoops for her sister as a birthday gift last month.
Sade prefers lightweight hoops because heavy ones make her earlobes feel sore by evening.
The shop sells both clip-on hoops and hoops for pierced ears at reasonable prices.
- earring
a broader category; hoops are one specific style of earring
- ring earring
less common but describes the same shape
用法筆記
Often used in the plural ('hoops') when referring to earrings, since they are usually worn as a pair. The compound 'hoop earrings' is very common.
常見錯誤
5. a small curved metal or plastic frame pushed into the ground, forming an arch th
a small curved metal or plastic frame pushed into the ground, forming an arch that players hit the ball through in the game of croquet
Defne guided her croquet ball through the first hoop with a gentle tap of her mallet.
hit the ball through a hoop (croquet)
The garden was set up with six metal hoops arranged for the afternoon croquet match.
One of the hoops came loose so they pushed it deeper into the wet lawn.
Mira bought a croquet set with six painted hoops for the family picnic in the park.
- wicket
alternative term, more common in British croquet contexts
用法筆記
In British English, these are sometimes called 'wickets' instead of 'hoops', though 'hoop' is the standard term in modern croquet.
6. a circular framework made of stiff material such as steel or whalebone, worn und
a circular framework made of stiff material such as steel or whalebone, worn under a skirt or sewn into its lining to hold the fabric outward in a wide bell-like shape
The museum displayed a Victorian dress worn over a wide hoop that made the skirt stand out.
hoop under a skirt / Victorian fashion
Ada found it hard to sit in the carriage while wearing a skirt with a large hoop underneath.
In the costume department she adjusted the steel hoops sewn into the lining of the dress.
The theatre troupe built a replica gown with a removable hoop for quick scene changes.
- cage crinoline
a more specific historical term for the same kind of undergarment frame
- farthingale
an earlier type of skirt frame from the 16th century
用法筆記
Often seen in the compound 'hoop skirt' which refers to the skirt itself, not just the frame. Mostly encountered in historical or costume contexts.
hoop — verb
- hooppresent simple I / you / we / they
- hoops3rd person singular
- hooping-ing form
- hoopedpast simple
1. to put a circular band around something or fasten something with a circular band
to put a circular band around something or fasten something with a circular band, especially in order to keep the parts of a barrel or container tightly together
The cooper hooped the damaged barrel by fitting a new iron band tightly around its middle.
hoop a barrel
Workers carefully hooped the wooden vats to prevent the wine from leaking through the joints.
Lucas learned how to hoop a barrel from his grandfather who worked at a winery.
The old bucket was hooped with rusty metal bands that had begun to crack and flake.
文法句型
hoop + noun (the thing being bound)
用法筆記
Typically used in craft or industrial contexts related to barrel-making (cooperage). The passive form 'be hooped with [material]' is also common.