Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Hamper

Ham′per

(hăm′pẽr)
,
Noun.
[Contr. fr.
hanaper
.]
A large basket, usually with a cover, used for the packing and carrying of articles;
as, a
hamper
of wine; a clothes
hamper
; an oyster
hamper
, which contains two bushels.

Ham′per

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Hampered
(-pẽrd)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Hampering
.]
To put in a hamper.

Ham′per

,
Verb.
T.
[OE.
hamperen
,
hampren
, prob. of the same origin as E.
hamble
.]
To put a hamper or fetter on; to shackle; to insnare; to inveigle; to entangle; hence, to impede in motion or progress; to embarrass; to encumber.
Hampered nerves.”
Blackmore.
A lion
hampered
in a net.
L’Estrange.
They
hamper
and entangle our souls.
Tillotson.

Ham′per

,
Noun.
[See
Hamper
to shackle.]
1.
A shackle; a fetter; anything which impedes.
W. Browne.
2.
(Naut.)
Articles ordinarily indispensable, but in the way at certain times.
Ham. Nav. Encyc.
Top hamper
(Naut.)
,
unnecessary spars and rigging kept aloft.

Webster 1828 Edition


Hamper

HAM'PER

,
Noun.
[contracted form hanaper, or from hand pannier.]
1.
A large basket for conveying things to market, &c.
2.
Fetters, or some instrument that shackles.
[This signification and that of the verb following indicate that this word is from hanaper, and that the latter is from the sense of interweaving twigs.]

HAM'PER

,
Verb.
T.
[See the Noun.] To shackle; to entangle; hence, to impede in motion or progress, or to render progress difficult.
A lion hampered in a net.
1.
To ensnare; to inveigle; to catch with allurements.
2.
To tangle; to render complicated.
3.
To perplex; to embarrass.
Hampered by the laws.

Definition 2024


hamper

hamper

English

A selection of wicker hampers.
An outline of a hamper.

Alternative forms

  • hampire

Noun

hamper (plural hampers)

  1. A large basket, usually with a cover, used for the packing and carrying of articles or small animals; as,
    a hamper of wine
    a clothes hamper
    an oyster hamper, which contains two bushels
Translations

Verb

hamper (third-person singular simple present hampers, present participle hampering, simple past and past participle hampered)

  1. (transitive) To put into a hamper.
    Competition pigeons are hampered for the truck trip to the point of release where the race back starts.
Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English hamperen, hampren (to hamper, oppress), probably of the same origin as English hamble (to limp), Scots hamp (to halt in walking, stutter), Dutch haperen (to falter, hesitate), German hemmen (to stop, hinder, check). More at hamble.

Verb

hamper (third-person singular simple present hampers, present participle hampering, simple past and past participle hampered)

  1. (transitive) To put a hamper or fetter on; to shackle; to ensnare; to inveigle; hence, to impede in motion or progress; to embarrass; to encumber.
    • 1712, Richard Blackmore, Creation: A Philosophical Poem:
      Engend'ring heats, these one by one unbind, Stretch their small tubes, and hamper'd nerves unwind.
    • (Can we date this quote?), Roger L'Estrange, (Please provide the title of the work):
      A lion hampered in a net.
    • (Can we date this quote?), John Tillotson, The Advantages of Religion:
      They hamper and entangle our souls.
Translations

Noun

hamper (plural hampers)

  1. A shackle; a fetter; anything which impedes.
  2. (nautical) Articles ordinarily indispensable, but in the way at certain times.
Derived terms
  • Top hamper, (Nautical): unnecessary spars and rigging kept aloft.
Translations