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You are here: Home / Language / What Does the Term “Basket Case” Mean and Where Did the Expression For an Unstable Person Originate?

What Does the Term “Basket Case” Mean and Where Did the Expression For an Unstable Person Originate?

March 30, 2020 by Karen Hill

A “basket case” is a derogatory reference to someone considered unstable and has a very sad origin.

During the First World War, because some soldiers were so badly maimed or shell-shocked that a stretcher wouldn’t hold them, they were carried off the field in wicker baskets.

In 1919, after the war, the dark expression “basket case” began being cruelly applied to anyone with an impairment, either physical or mental.

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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