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 … 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. The lower ranks simply had to make do. a basket case. After World War II, the original meaning fell out of favor altogether, likely due to the lack of literal basket cases. noun Slang. Subscribe to our new updates in your email. Because idioms don't always make sense literally, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of each idiom. Someone who is a basket case may often feel hopeless about life. [Originally World War I military slang, soldier who has lost all four limbs .] Learn more. Learn English Idioms. Categorized as formulaic language, an idiom's figurative meaning is different from the literal meaning. : 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. However, for a while the phrase expanded to mean someone with a physical disability who was unable to get around by themselves easily. Were you always this nervous in the old days? 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. Idiom Meaning: a useless person who cannot cope . 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). The phrase has its origins in World War I. I had been flying for over 30 hours, and two of the planes were delayed. Definition: A thing or person considered useless or not able to cope. 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: They come up all the time in both written and spoken English. Example. Instead, it referred to someone who had a physical disability. Learn idiom definition, common idioms list in English with meaning, idiom examples and ESL pictures. A basketcase is common word used to describe a social outcast in school. How to use head case in a sentence. One that is in a completely hopeless or useless condition. 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 … 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. Menu. Originally this referred to soldiers who had lost arms and legs and had to be carried by others. See more. The following is a passage from an article on the origin of the idiom basket case:. Your email address will not be published. Explore more Idiom Meanings. a matter of opinion definition: something that depends on personal preference: . English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are an important part of everyday English. Meaning of Idiom 'Basket Case' A basket case is a person who is so nervous or anxious they are completely incapacitated and so are considered nonfunctioning; Learn the full meaning of the English idiom 'basket case' and get examples of use in sentences as well as the origin of this expression. Idiom Meaning: An idiom is a group of words that are used as a common expression whose meaning is not deducible from that of the literal words. If Gloria has one more crisis, she'll be a basket case. Examples of this Idiom in Movies & TV Shows: MacGyver “Deadly Silents” (1991) MacGyver: Pinky! Example: She was a complete basket case the morning of her wedding. I… I… I invented the would nervous. To go “over the top” once meant to jump out of the trenches and toward the enemy. a person or a thing that is not able to function properly; a failing scheme. I’m sure they thought I was a complete basket case.’ The idiom “basket case” is actually only in the title, not in the lyrics. 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. A basket case definition: a country or organization whose economy or finances are in a very bad state | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples In Australia, a popular term developed from World War I is “Anzac” which refers to the Australian and New Zealand Armed Corps. To go to hell in a handbasket means to go to one’s doom, to deteriorate quickly, to proceed on a course to disaster. 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. [ informal ] The country is an economic basket case with chronic unemployment and rampant crime. For example: “After Elena’s boyfriend broke up with her, she was a basket case. Origin Basket definition, a container made of twigs, rushes, thin strips of wood, or other flexible material woven together. Where Did the Phrase “Take a Gander” Come From? "Basket of deplorables" is a phrase from a 2016 presidential election campaign speech delivered by Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on September 9, 2016, at a campaign fundraising event, which she used to describe half of the supporters of her opponent, Republican nominee Donald Trump saying "They're racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic". Pinky Burnette: Well, I… of course I was nervous. What's the meaning of the phrase '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. Idioms occur frequently in all languages; in English alone … One other good phrase that he uses is “crack up,” which is another idiom that means to go crazy. 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. At first, “basket case” didn’t mean someone who was crazy. A Basket Case is an idiom, meaning a state of powerlessness, crippled emotionally. 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