3. A circle, or combination of circles, of thin whalebone, metal, or other elastic material, used for expanding the skirts of ladies' dresses; crinoline; used chiefly in the plural. "Though stiff with hoops, and armed with ribs of whale." (Pope)
5. An old measure of capacity, variously estimated at from one to four pecks. Bulge hoop, Chine hoop, Quarter hoop, the hoop nearest the middle of a cask, that nearest the end, and the intermediate hoop between these two, respectively. Flat hoop, a wooden hoop dressed flat on both sides. Half-round hoop, a wooden hoop left rounding and undressed on the outside. Hoop iron, iron in thin narrow strips, used for making hoops. Hoop lock, the fastening for uniting the ends of wooden hoops by notching and interlocking them. Hoop skirt, a framework of hoops for expanding the skirts of a woman's dress; called also hoop petticoat.
<zoology> Hoop snake, a harmless snake of the Southern United States (Abaster erythrogrammus); so called from the mistaken notion that it curves itself into a hoop, taking its tail into its mouth, and rolls along with great velocity.
Origin: OE. Hope; akin to D. Hoep, hoepel.
Origin: OE. Houpen; cf. F. Houper to hoop, to shout; a hunting term, prob. Fr. Houp, an interj. Used in calling. Cf. Whoop.
2. <zoology> The hoopoe. See Hoopoe.
(01 Mar 1998)
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