Hoop.
1. (Coopering.) A strip of metal or wood united at the ends and driven around a cask to hold the staves together. Hoops for casks are known as: — Bulge-hoop; the hoop nearest the swell of a cask. Chine or chime hoop; or head-hoop; the hoop nearer to the end or chine. Flat-hoop; a thin hoop; flat on both sides. Half-round hoop; a hoop whose outside is the undressed exterior of the pole. Quarter-hoop; an intermediate hoop between the bulge and chine. Truss-hoop; a stout hoop of wood, used before or preliminary to the final hooping.
2. (Nautical.) a. One of the rings to which the weather-leach of a fore-and-aft sail is bent, and by which it slides on the mast or stay as the sail is hoisted or lowered. A hank. b. A band on a wooden anchor stock.
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| Grinding-mill. |
3. (Milling.) a. The enclosing case of a run of stones. It stands on the husk. a is the runner, b the bed-stone. b. A metallic band around a mill-stone. 4. A strap around an eccentric.
5. (Apparel.) a. A thin strip (usually of steel and covered with braid), used in expanding the skirts of ladies' dresses. b. A frame made of pliable, steel, braid-covered hoops, united by vertical tapes and adapted to expand the skirt of a lady's dress. Frames of similar shape but differently constructed were in use in the time of Pope and of Queen Bess.
