basket lunch
Definition
Noun: A "basket lunch" is a meal, typically a simple lunch, that is packed and carried in a basket, often intended for outdoor activities such as picnics, camping trips, or excursions. This term is primarily used in American English.
Usage Examples
- (A simple lunch carried in a basket for an outdoor trip.)
- (A picnic-style meal eaten outdoors.)
Advanced Usage
"to bring a basket lunch": to prepare and transport a lunch in a basket for an event.
- Everyone was asked to bring a basket lunch to the company picnic. (Each person provides their own packed lunch in a basket.)
"basket lunch social": a gathering where participants share or eat basket lunches together.
- The church hosted a basket lunch social after the Sunday service. (A communal outdoor meal event.)
Variants and Related Words
Basket dinner (n): a similar meal, but typically for dinner, also carried in a basket.
- They planned a basket dinner for the evening campfire. (A packed dinner in a basket for outdoor dining.)
Picnic basket (n): a container specifically designed for carrying a picnic meal.
- She bought a new picnic basket for the beach outing. (A basket meant for transporting picnic food.)
Synonyms
- Packed lunch: a meal prepared and carried from home, often in a container.
- Picnic lunch: a meal eaten outdoors, typically on a blanket or at a table.
Related Idioms
- "basket case": This is a separate idiom meaning someone who is extremely nervous or unable to function, and is not directly related to "basket lunch."
- After the exam, he was a complete basket case. (He was very anxious or stressed.)