1. [n]  horizontal hoop with a net through which players try to throw the basketball
2. [n]  a rigid circular band of metal or wood or other material used for holding or fastening or hanging or pulling; "there was still a rusty iron hoop for tying a horse"
3. [n]  a light curved skeleton to spread out a skirt
4. [n]  a small arch used as croquet equipment
5. [v]  bind or fasten with a hoop; "hoop vats"

HOOP
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1. \Hoop\, n. [OE. hope; akin to D. hoep, hoepel.]
   1. A pliant strip of wood or metal bent in a circular form,
      and united at the ends, for holding together the staves of
      casks, tubs, etc.
   2. A ring; a circular band; anything resembling a hoop, as
      the cylinder (cheese hoop) in which the curd is pressed in
      making cheese.
   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.
   4. A quart pot; -- so called because originally bound with
      hoops, like a barrel. Also, a portion of the contents
      measured by the distance between the hoops. [Obs.]
   5. An old measure of capacity, variously estimated at from
      one to four pecks. [Eng.] --Halliwell.
   {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}.
   {Hoop snake} (Zo["o]l.), 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.
   {Hoop tree} (Bot.), a small West Indian tree ({Melia
      sempervirens}), of the Mahogany family.
   

2. \Hoop\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Hooped}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Hooping}.]
   1. To bind or fasten with hoops; as, to hoop a barrel or
      puncheon.
   2. To clasp; to encircle; to surround. --Shak.
   

3. \Hoop\, v. i. [OE. houpen; cf. F. houper to hoop, to shout;
   -- a hunting term, prob. fr. houp, an interj. used in
   calling. Cf. {Whoop}.]
   1. To utter a loud cry, or a sound imitative of the word, by
      way of call or pursuit; to shout. [Usually written
      {whoop}.]
   2. To whoop, as in whooping cough. See {Whoop}.
   {Hooping cough}. (Med.) See {Whooping cough}.
   

4. \Hoop\, v. t. [Written also whoop.]
   1. To drive or follow with a shout. ``To be hooped out of
      Rome.'' --Shak.
   2. To call by a shout or peculiar cry.
   

5. \Hoop\, n.
   1. A shout; a whoop, as in whooping cough.
   2. (Zo["o]l.) The hoopoe. See {Hoopoe}.