| Definitions | | basket case |
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noun
- (idiom) One made powerless or ineffective, as by nerves, panic or stress (slang, potentially offensive)
- She was a complete the morning of her wedding.
- This country is a financial , a country so broke that it should be a perfect warning to lenders.
- Some countries are breadbaskets, others basket cases.
Translations: - Dutch: zenuwpees (nerves); (fig.) hopeloos geval (.)
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Etymology: The term originated from WWI British English, indicating a soldier missing both his arms and legs, who needed to be literally carried around in a litter or "basket." Today it indicates a state of helplessness similar to the metaphoric removal of the appendages.
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