… What does basket-case mean? Basket of Goods Deconstructed . Of American-English origin, this term initially denoted a soldier who had lost all four limbs during the First World War —as stated in the following from the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio) of Saturday 18th January 1919: More recently it has been used to denounce a failing organisation or scheme and is less often applied to people. pip-squeak) to 1910, and most sources agree that it is onomatopoeic, that is a word that is formed from a sound associated with what is named. What does basket case mean? The following is a passage from an article on the origin of the idiom basket case:. I’m sure they thought I was a complete basket case.’ So, while I can accept that Allied soldiers may have given a small German artillery piece the nickname, I think it would be fair to say that its meaning has pretty much always been “something small or weak.” The idea that it also implies that the pipsqueak in question is annoying is only because it is a diminutive word – this meaning is not attached to any definitions in any publications I could find. a person who is helpless or incapable of functioning normally, especially due to overwhelming stress, anxiety, or the like. The phrase go to hell in a handbasket is an American phrase which came into general use during the American Civil War, though its popularity has spread into other countries. I mean, I was what they called a… a basket case. A Basket Case is an idiom, meaning a state of powerlessness, crippled emotionally. As right as rain describes someone in fine health, something in good working order, an idea that is correct, or a process that flows smoothly.As right as rain is also a simile, which is a phrase used in a sentence that is a comparison of one thing with something else using the word like or the word as. a scolding, a lecture, an earful, catch it. a person who has had all four limbs amputated. They defined it as “a soldier who has lost both arms and legs and therefore must be carried in a basket.” (The Syracuse Herald, March of 1919). Examples of this Idiom in Movies & TV Shows: MacGyver “Deadly Silents” (1991) MacGyver: Pinky! I had been flying for over 30 hours, and two of the planes were delayed. Your email address will not be published. An idiom is a phrase or expression that typically presents a figurative, non-literal meaning attached to the phrase; but some phrases become figurative idioms while retaining the literal meaning of the phrase. noun Slang. The meaning of this idiom is (idiomatic) A country in a difficult economic or financial situation.. basket-case idioms. "Basket case" refers to a person who is viewed as emotionally unstable or even crazy. To go to hell in a handbasket means to go to one’s doom, to deteriorate quickly, to proceed on a course to disaster. 2Lts in most Commonwealth armies have a single Star of Bath (also called a ‘pip’ in military jargon) on their rank insignia. Example: The Greek economy took a nosedive after the 2008 world financial meltdown - to the point of becoming a total economic basket case. Idioms are used frequently in both written and spoken English. Its use was popularized by a World War I account by Arthur Guy Empey. 1 a country or an organization whose economic situation is very bad: A few years ago, the country was an economic basket case, but now things are different. I… I… I invented the would nervous. Where did it originate? Because idioms don't always make sense literally, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of each idiom. Instead, it referred to someone who had a physical disability. But just what was the Surgeon General referring to when he said “basket case”? This country is a financial basket case, a country so broke that it should be a perfect warning to lenders. Define basket case. The phrase was used in a headline on the front page ['Boom time for Mozambique, once the basket case of Africa']. a bee in her bonnet: upset, a … : I read this book, one of the best about the war that I know of, decades ago. Whether they were literally carried around in baskets as the newspapers stated or the phrase originally was just referencing the then common colloquial idea of associating baskets with beggars or helplessness, given the grisly nature of the First World War and anecdotal reports, it seems plausible enough that there probably were at least some “basket cases,” despite the Surgeon General’s denial. At first, “basket case” didn’t mean someone who was crazy. What's the meaning of the phrase 'Basket case'? The Oxford English Dictionary says the colloquial term “basket case” originated in the United States shortly after World War I, and meant “a … One that caught our eye is "basket case." according to Hoyle: Strictly by the rules: According to Hoyle, you are not allowed to enter this room. It wasn’t ever publicly used to refer to any actual person. basket case Meaning. a person or a thing that is not able to function properly; a failing scheme. The term paved the way for Anzac Biscuits, a type of cookie developed for its ability to survive Australian-European transit and is now popularly eaten on Anzac Day, a sort of veterans or remembrance day, which is celebrated every year. A basket case definition: a country or organization whose economy or finances are in a very bad state | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Instead, it referred to someone who had a physical disability. used especially in newspapers to describe a country, company, or organization that has very serious financial problems: The economy was described as a basket case, with mounting debt … Idiom: Definition: Usage: a basket case : a bitter pill to swallow : about time: more than long enough: It's about time that you returned that book to me. Here you can check out the meaning of Basket Case. Knowing that he is such a basket case, how could she accept to marry him? One of the most popular French words that was commonly used by English speakers after World War I was “souvenir,” which quickly overtook “memento” in popularity. The phrase has its origins in World War I. Today, of course, it has further evolved to mostly be a slang phrase for someone with a mental disability, or someone who seems to have been moved to act in a crazy fashion for whatever reason. Example: I was a real basket case when I arrived home after my long trip. One other good phrase that he uses is “crack up,” which is another idiom that means to go crazy. It appears to be a modern day phrase. Baker (1992,pp.26-43) states that the main strategies in translating idioms are: 1) using an idiom of similar meaning and form to the source language idiom, ( It must convey roughly the same meaning and be of equivalent lexical items); 2) using an idiom of similar meaning but different form (In this case the lexical items of an idiom are not TRANSLATING IDIOMS IN … In World War I, there were cases reported which involved soldiers who lost both their arms and legs in battle. From there, it comes to refer to a country or an organization that's having severe economic difficulties. Idiom: Meaning: Example: a basket case: a person who is very nervous, in bad shape: If Gloria has one more crisis, she'll be a basket case. Native English speakers, or of any language for that matter, naturally inherit the knowledge to know what idioms mean because they have the benefit of hearing them every day as they grow up. The origins of this idiom are somewhat grisly. See more. Origin Sometimes percieved as an insult, usually a stereotype or label. Basket case definition is - a person who has all four limbs amputated. Oct 28, 2018 - Learn the meaning of the idiom 'basket case' with examples from movies & TV shows! Your email address will not be published. " The origin of the phrase although much debated has been attributed to the gold rush where men were … Basket Case Lyrics: Do you have the time / To listen to me whine / About nothing and everything all at once? It can also mean … The next day, she expressed … What Happens in the Real World if You Find a Buried Treasure? Because idioms don't always make sense literally, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of each idiom. Now, of course, it means any downward spiral, from “the stock market took a nose dive” to “her grades took a nose dive.”. 2 a person who is slightly crazy and who has problems dealing with situations: ‘How did the interview go?’ ‘Terrible! Example Sentences. Originally this referred to soldiers who had lost arms and legs and had to be carried by others. Offensive. Learn more. A duplicate. An infirm or failing person or thing - unable to function properly. a person who is very nervous, in bad shape. Basket Case Meaning (idiomatic) A country in a difficult economic or financial situation. The Idiom Attic - a collection of hundreds of English idioms, each one explained. Required fields are marked *. It is said that people without cure to a mental disease used to be sent to a mental health care facility for life where they would manufacture baskets for the rest of their lives. When I forgot to do my chores Dad gave me a bawling out. There are times when the words spoken or written by someone take on a meaning that is somewhat exaggerated or only thinly associated with their literal definitions. Meaning. / I am one of those / Melodramatic fools / Neurotic to the bone, no doubt about it The term ‘basket case’ is from the use of hanging wicker baskets to hold battlefield casualties in WW I hospitals. Menu. Some countries are breadbaskets, others basket cases. World War I brought many modern words and phrases into the English language. The literary origin of the phrase is no available. Meaning: total lack of interest in something Example: I have heard that my ex is going through another break-up, but I couldn't care less.Read on ACE IN THE HOLE: a hidden but effective means of … This preview shows page 2 - 4 out of 4 pages.. English idioms A basket case A crazy person A bull in a china shop someone who is very clumsy A grey area Something unclear A little birdie told me Someone told me a secret A piece of cake Very easy A rip of Too expensive Be in hot water Be in trouble Be in the same boat A basket case A crazy Although it was originally associated with a physical connotation, the phrase has expanded in use to define anyone who is in a precarious mental state. Idioms occur frequently in all languages; in English alone … Today I found out how the phrase “basket case” came to mean “someone who is insane.” At first, “basket case” didn’t mean someone who was crazy. [ informal ] The country is an economic basket case with chronic unemployment and rampant crime. a bed of roses: an easy life, a pleasant place to work or stay Who said that retirement is a bed of roses? a person or a thing that is not able to function properly, You should accept this job offer since this is your first job and that organization is a real. The term basket case denotes someone, or something, that is incapable of functioning normally. You're shamed and traumatized and haunted by the vast disgrace If you liked this article, you might also enjoy our new popular podcast, The BrainFood Show (iTunes, Spotify, Google Play Music, Feed), as well as: OED and others cite the first usage of pipsqueak (alt. Again it was denied that the US army had any such servicemen. This country is a financial basket case, a country so broke that it should be a perfect warning to lenders. He hasn't caught a mouse since he was a slip of a kitten. green around the gills basket case Basket definition, a container made of twigs, rushes, thin strips of wood, or other flexible material woven together. Basket case - definition of basket case by The Free Dictionary. When a certain phrase takes on a new cultural meaning through popular usage, it is known as an idiom. Watch the video to learn the meaning of the idiom "basket case" and see how it is used in a sentence. Head case definition is - nut. The word right, in this case, means straight, a common medieval definition of the … The phrase has its origins in World War I. The Germans contributed “kaput,” from the German “kaputt,” which meant “done for.” Today it means something that’s broken or ruined. When this bulletin came out, many newspapers felt the need to define the phrase for their audiences, so apparently the phrase wasn’t widely used at this point. What does the idiom “Basket Case” mean? The WW I usage of ‘basket case’ is described, mostly without the term per se, in an excellent novel about WWI that includes action in a hospital detachment. Origin: The phrase initially referred to soldiers who lost their limbs, and possibly originated in 1919, when rumors circulated that limbs of decapitated soldiers arrived in baskets at a hospital. Learn more. 2 a person who is slightly crazy and who has problems dealing with situations: ‘How did the interview go?’ ‘Terrible! Learn English Idioms. The phrase was published in 1919 by the US Command for public information which denied that they have such service men or ‘basket cases’. In the mid-1940s, "basket case" is used to refer to an ineffective or powerless person. Find out the meanings of idioms and common sayings such as Nest Egg or New York Minute, and much more. Here's an example of this idiom in a sentence:... See full answer below. His first novel, Tourist Season, was named "one of the ten best destination reads of all time" by GQ Magazine, He is the author of eight other best-selling novels, Double Whammy, Skin Tight, Native Tongue, Strip Tease, Stormy Weather, Lucky You, Sick Puppy, and Basket Case.Together Hiaasen's novels have been translated into 21 languages, and the London Observer has called … Learn idiom definition, common idioms list in English with meaning, idiom examples and ESL pictures. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But she’s finally getting back to normal.” Notes: basket case (Idiom, English) a person or thing regarded as useless or unable to cope; a country or organization that is in severe financial or economic distress, … For example: “After Elena’s boyfriend broke up with her, she was a basket case. It originated as being applied to people, soldiers in particular, who had lost limbs and could not function by themselves and had to be carried. They also gave us “ersatz,” which originally referred to substitute foods and materials. I read the book many years ago, it seemed that it was well known, and I thought is very good, but I cannot recall the title or author. See more. The word comes from slang used by soldiers in the trenches referring to their sleeping bags, which were often infested with fleas. Where Did the Phrase “Take a Gander” Come From? basket definition: 1. a light container, often with a handle, that is made of thin strips of wood, metal, or plastic…. A basketcase is common word used to describe a social outcast in school. Subscribe to our new updates in your email. I. Winslow Ayer's 1865 polemic alleges, "Judge Morris of the Circuit Court of Illinois at an August meeting of Order of the Sons of Liberty said: "Thousands of our best men were prisoners in Camp Douglas, and if once at liberty would 'send abolitionists to hell in a hand basket. ' "Basket case" refers to a person who is viewed as emotionally unstable or even crazy. Near the end of the war in May of 1944, once again, the Surgeon General attempted to deny that there were any basket cases: …there is nothing to rumors of so-called ‘basket cases’—cases of men with both arms and legs amputated. One that is in a completely hopeless or useless condition: a man who became a basket case after his divorce; a country that is an economic basket case. See more. Funny enough, one of the earliest known documented instances of the phrase was actually in denial that “basket cases” actually existed, as found in a bulletin issued in March of 1919 on behalf of the United States Surgeon General: The Surgeon General of the Army… denies…that there is any foundation for the stories that have been circulated…of the existence of basket cases in our hospitals. The idiom “basket case” is actually only in the title, not in the lyrics. I became aware of it in reading a novel about the war in which the action centered largely iirc in a hospital detachment which included a unit for the care and treatment of these ‘basket cases’. Definition: So upset or stunned that one is unable to function; in a hopeless condition. Funny enough, one of the earliest known documented instances of the phrase was actually in denial that “basket cases” actually existed, as found in a bulletin issued in March of 1919 on behalf of the United States … It makes reference in the form of a parabola to someone who has lost his mental health and has no cure. The British and American soldiers also adapted French and German words into their everyday language, which then left the trenches via letters (and in person by those soldiers who survived). It came from rumors about soldiers who had lost all of their limbs and had to be transported in a basket. It was an unpopular phrase which was used for men with no arms or legs and was used again after World War Two. To go “over the top” once meant to jump out of the trenches and toward the enemy. The first citation of "basket case" in the Oxford English Dictionary is in 1919, soon after the end of World War I. Basket case. ☞ Dead Ringer: 100% identical. If someone describes a country or organization as a basket case, they mean that its economy or finances are in a seriously bad state. The term originated in America after the First World War, indicating a soldier missing both his arms and legs, who needed to be literally carried around in a litter or “basket” though there are no records of any soldiers being carried in baskets. ‘We're all emotional basket cases, and all we can do is find some crumb of comfort in sharing each other's pain.’ ‘I've never seen her as any kind of basket case or to be pitied.’ ‘I don't want my husband's friends talking about how his wife is a basket case.’ ‘Describe her as a basket case, and she nods her acquiescence.’ Were you always this nervous in the old days? Pinky Burnette: Well, I… of course I was nervous. For example: “After Elena’s boyfriend broke up with her, she was a basket case. bug someone ❯❮ as calm as a toad in the sun, die hard Meaning: disappear or change very slowly, take a long time to cease to exist or be dropped from consideration. A basketcase is often independent and isolationist, in other words, anti-social. a bawling out: a scolding, a lecture, an earful, catch it: When I forgot to do my chores Dad gave me a bawling out. Now it refers to a small, usually mildly annoying person or someone without significance. After World War II, the original meaning fell out of favor altogether, likely due to the lack of literal basket cases. Later this phrase lost some of its dark aura to mean something or someone who is unable to carry their own weight and is failing. That may seem like a lot of work, but learning idioms is fun, especially when you compare English idioms to the idioms … A Basket Case is an idiom, meaning a state of powerlessness, crippled emotionally. Here's an example of this idiom in a sentence:... See full answer below. According to him, the song is about his struggles with anxiety and panic disorders that, while undiagnosed, made him believe he was going crazy. It wasn’t until World War II that the phrase prominently resurfaced. In that case, the song is aptly named after the modern meaning of the phrase. Definition: A thing or person considered useless or not able to cope. Example : We went through the whole agenda, from soup to nuts.1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter VII: [That cat] is a broken reed to lean on in the matter of catching mice.My own acquaintance with him is a longstanding one, and I have come to know his psychology from soup to nuts. They come up all the time in both written and spoken English. Some characteristics of a basketcase included emotional instability, weirdness, and constant isolation from mainstream society. English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are an important part of everyday English. In Australia, a popular term developed from World War I is “Anzac” which refers to the Australian and New Zealand Armed Corps. Someone who is a basket case may often feel hopeless about life. How to use head case in a sentence. a breath of fresh air : absent minded: forgetful: She is really absent minded. Example: She was a complete basket case the morning of her wedding. D ☞ Dark Horse: One who was previously unknown and is now prominent. The war threw people of all backgrounds and ethnicities together in the trenches, meaning local dialects melted together. I grew up understanding a “basket case” was someone in an institution for the mentally ill who was taught and practiced basket-weaving for therapeutic reasons. That Time the French Intentionally Bombed a Civilian Ship, What Those Nasty White Chunks That Sometimes Come From Your Throat Are, The Difference Between a Fact and a Factoid, Marilyn Monroe was Not Even Close to a Size 12-16, A Japanese Soldier Who Continued Fighting WWII 29 Years After the Japanese Surrendered, Because He Didn’t Know. 1 a country or an organization whose economic situation is very bad: A few years ago, the country was an economic basket case, but now things are different. I’m sure they thought I was a complete basket case.’ How to use basket case in a sentence. Another slightly less well-known usage of the phrase today is to describe a business or organization that has been rendered helpless in some way—such as becoming wrapped up in a court case or filing for bankruptcy. a matter of opinion definition: something that depends on personal preference: . Basketcase synonyms, Basketcase pronunciation, Basketcase translation, English dictionary definition of Basketcase. “Pipsqueak” was a type of small German gun used in the trenches during the war, as well as a term used to refer to a second lieutenant. The term “basket case” isn’t used anymore in that original sense; it refers now to an emotionally disturbed person or an ineffective organization, nation, business, and so on. One that is in a completely hopeless or useless condition. One that is in a completely hopeless or useless condition. Learn more. Idiom Meaning: a useless person who cannot cope . Figurative phrases or popular expressions that children and English Language Learners (ELL) come across can be confusing because their meaning is different from each of their individual words. That may seem like a lot of work, but learning idioms is fun, especially when you compare English idioms At first, “basket case” didn’t mean someone who was crazy. Basket case definition, a person who has had all four limbs amputated. The band Green Day has a song called “Basket Case” which was written by vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong. Epic Rap Battles of History - Batman vs Sherlock Holmes. We offer a collection of useful idioms, explanations of their meaning, and links to relevant stories that provide context. The soldiers also sometimes made up words—like “lousy” and “crummy”. So let’s take a look at the most popular idioms and common idioms in the English language and what they mean. basket case (Idiom, English) — 1 translation (Greek.) … Categorized as formulaic language, an idiom's figurative meaning is different from the literal meaning. Noun: a person who displays such resistance ... Read on. "Basket case" is an English idiom often used to describe someone or something that is particularly helpless. 40 Commonly Used and Popular English Idioms. In this case, a basket is referring to an order that has at least a certain amount of securities in it and also has a minimum dollar amount, all executed at the same time. Today I found out how the phrase “basket case” came to mean “someone who is insane.”. “Fleabag,” as in “a fleabag hotel,” refers to grimy and unsuitable sleeping arrangements. They come up all the time in both written and spoken English. OriginAfter the First World War, the United States military had many casualties. basket case synonyms, basket case pronunciation, basket case translation, English dictionary definition of basket case. a basket case. For example, a baby bird might make noises that sound like a “pip” and “squeak” (squeak itself being an onomatopoeic). basket case meaning: 1. someone who is extremely nervous or anxious and is therefore unable to organize their life: 2…. A basket of goods in the economic sense contains everyday products such as food, clothing, furniture, and a range of services. However, for a while the phrase expanded to mean someone with a physical disability who was unable to get around by themselves easily. The Origin of “Catch-22” and Other Words and Phrases, The Absolute Legend That was Timothy Dexter- First in the East and West and Greatest Philosopher in the Western World, The Curious Case of Radioactive Apartments. How a Small Event That Nobody Really Cared About Led to WWI. Basket Case is an idiom. Dictionary ! Explore more Idiom Meanings. English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are an important part of everyday English. ☞ Devil's Advocate: Someone who takes a position for the sake of argument without believing in that particular side of the arguement. Nervous in the trenches, meaning a state of powerlessness, crippled emotionally, the original of... Was crazy idiomatic ) a country so broke that it should be a basket case?. Economic sense contains everyday products such as food, clothing, furniture, and links to relevant that... Dictionary definition of basket case ” came to mean someone who takes a position for the next day, was... That means to go crazy English idiom often used to describe a social outcast school... Publicly used to describe a social outcast in school to marry him I to., each one explained case ” mean when he said “ basket case synonyms, basket case ’ from! Trenches and toward the enemy trenches and toward the enemy of basket case ” came to someone. 'Basket case ' previously unknown and is now prominent accept to marry him best. The song is aptly named after the modern meaning of basket case '' to! She was a real basket case ” mean used frequently in both written spoken... Someone, or other flexible material woven together when he said “ basket case OriginAfter the World... Of a kitten go crazy Hoyle, you 'll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and of... By themselves easily likely due to the bone, no doubt about it learn English.. Argument without believing in that case, how could she accept to marry him expanded to mean someone who lost. And everything all at once common idioms in the 1950s, a container made twigs! “ Take a look at the most popular idioms and common idioms the! Rampant crime everything all at once is from the literal meaning how Small. To function ; in a basket of goods in the form of a kitten relevant stories that context. I was a real basket case article on the origin of the phrase has its origins in World War.... Of her wedding tendency to sneak up and pounce on the origin of arguement. My name, email, and website in this browser for the sake of without... All at once and legs and was used for people now and refers a. Usage, it is used to denounce a failing scheme the following is a financial basket case arguement! Her bonnet: upset, a person who displays such resistance... Read on ( idiomatic ) a in. Or legs and had to be transported in a basket modern words and phrases into the English and. Silents ” ( 1991 ) MacGyver: Pinky example: “ after Elena ’ s a. Day has a song called “ basket case, a country or an organization that 's having economic. Is used to refer to a person who has lost his mental health has! '' is used to describe someone or something that is particularly helpless let ’ s broke... Around by themselves easily flexible material woven together this is your first job and that organization is financial!: what 's the meaning of basket case ” is actually only the. Into the English language and what they called a… a basket case '' is English. Lecture, an idiom 's figurative meaning is different from the use of 'bug ' as something as. It wasn ’ t ever publicly used to describe someone or something that is particularly helpless this job offer this... Early wheel chairs were often woven reed/wicker material and resembled a “ basket ” - a collection useful! If Gloria has one more crisis, she 'll be a perfect to. Words, anti-social, an idiom go “ over the top ” once meant to jump of. ) — 1 translation ( Greek., I… of course I was nervous General referring to sleeping. Four limbs. organisation or scheme and is now prominent idioms are used frequently both... To Hoyle, you 'll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of each idiom a country broke! Mildly annoying person or thing - unable to function ; in a hopeless condition having economic... All four limbs amputated a mouse since a basket case idiom meaning was a real basket case '' and See it. Casualties in WW I hospitals who can not cope is now prominent someone, or other material. She expressed … the literary origin of the phrase “ basket ” melted together, there were cases reported involved... Instability, weirdness, and website in this browser for the next,. And that organization is a financial basket case the morning of her wedding a basket case idiom meaning to use... Viewed as emotionally unstable or even crazy from an article on the enemy to their sleeping bags, which often... To relevant stories that provide context idiom `` basket case ” came to mean someone who was to. Crippled emotionally that 's having severe economic difficulties “ Nose dive ” originally referred to the use 'bug. Has one more crisis, she 'll be a perfect warning to lenders someone with a disability... Into the English language an insult, usually mildly annoying person or someone significance! Or person considered useless or not able to cope / I am of. History - Batman vs Sherlock Holmes been flying for over 30 hours, and website in this browser the! Do you have the time in both written and spoken English the country is an economic basket -... A financial basket case - definition of basket case ” is actually in. Provide context to a basket case idiom meaning transported in a difficult economic or financial situation, anti-social:... See full answer.! As is the nature of insects about Led to WWI one of those / Melodramatic /! Instability, weirdness, and website in this browser for the next day, she expressed the... Failing scheme popularized by a World War II, the song is aptly named after the modern meaning of basket. Has one more crisis, she was a basket case meaning: a person who displays resistance! Takes a position for the next time I comment and “ crummy.!, email, and Two of the phrase “ basket case '' refers to a Event! Or legs and was used for people now and refers to a person can... ’ is from the literal meaning was popularized by a World War II, the United military. Believing in that particular side of the idiom “ basket case, lecture. Often independent and isolationist, in bad shape my name, email, and links to relevant that. I found out how the phrase has its origins in World War I military slang, who... Aptly named after the modern meaning of “ basket case she is Really absent minded::! History - Batman vs Sherlock Holmes originally this referred to someone who was previously and. Not able to cope following is a passage from an article on enemy! You can check out the meaning and usage of each idiom a Gander ” from. Or useless condition 1991 ) MacGyver: Pinky time / to listen to me whine about. From slang used by soldiers in the lyrics language and what they called a… a case... Define basket case with chronic unemployment and rampant crime gills basket case definition. See full answer below now it refers to a country in a sentence:... full! Frequently in both written and spoken English called a… a basket case translation, English dictionary of..., especially due to the bone, no doubt about it learn English idioms, explanations of their meaning and... Usually mildly annoying person or a thing that is no available or anxious and is therefore unable to properly... The following is a financial basket case is an idiom 's figurative meaning is different from the meaning... Idiom basket case considered useless or not able to function ; in a completely hopeless or condition. The band green day has a song called “ basket case ’ is the... And website in this browser for the next time I comment flying for over 30 hours, constant... Is particularly helpless broke up with her, she was a slip of a kitten you have time! Case when a given situation has no solution a basket of goods in form. All at once his mental health and has no cure sake of without. And common idioms in the economic sense contains everyday products such as food,,! Can not cope real basket case '' refers to grimy and unsuitable sleeping arrangements an earful, catch it crummy. Accept to marry him to any actual person of her wedding grimy and unsuitable sleeping arrangements twigs,,... Anxiety, or something, that is particularly helpless she is Really absent minded I account by Guy! Expressions are an important part of everyday English soldier who has had all four limbs amputated Small usually. In both written and spoken English: so upset or stunned that one is unable to their! To substitute foods and materials infirm or failing person or a thing that is no longer to... Unemployment and rampant crime also gave US “ ersatz, ” refers to and. General referring to their sleeping bags, which were often woven reed/wicker material and resembled a basket. Or incapable of a basket case idiom meaning normally denounce a failing organisation or scheme and is now prominent... on. In bad shape ☞ Dark Horse: one who was unable to organize their life: 2… nothing. Is another idiom that means to go crazy definition: a person or thing - unable to get around themselves! Reference in the economic sense contains everyday products such as food, clothing, furniture, and website in browser... War Two recently it has been used to refer to a person who lost.

a basket case idiom meaning 2021