basket case

名词 n.
中文释义

英文释义

名词 n.
  1. Someone (especially a soldier) who has lost all four limbs. colloquial,historical,offensive
    — 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.
  2. An institution or country in a bad condition or difficult situation (economically, financially or otherwise). colloquial
    — This country is a financial basket case, a country so broke that it should be a perfect warning to lenders.
  3. One made powerless or ineffective, as by nerves, panic, stress or exhaustion; someone considered mentally unstable. colloquial
    — She was a complete basket case the morning of her wedding.
  4. An item in a disassembled state that is brought to be repaired. colloquial

词形变化

basket cases plural basketcase alternative basket-case alternative

词汇关系

相关词
damaged goods stretcher case

词源

From basket + case.
* (injured soldier): Based on rumors during World War I that wounded soldiers were transported in baskets.
* (item to be repaired): The item's components might be brought for repair in a basket.
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