noun
hamper
HAM-puh
noun
1
A large basket with a lid, used to carry or store items such as laundry or food.
"She tossed her dirty clothes into the laundry hamper."
"They packed a wicker hamper full of sandwiches for the picnic."
verb
1
To slow down or get in the way of someone's progress.
"Heavy snow hampered rescue efforts for most of the day."
"A lack of funding has hampered the research for years."
How to Use Hamper
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA lidded basket, or (as a verb) to hold something back or make it harder to progress.
Common pairings
laundry hamper
gift hamper
hamper progress
hampered by
Word Forms
hampered past tense, hampered past tense, hampers plural, hampers plural, hampers singular, hampers singular
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She tossed her dirty clothes into the laundry _____.
Etymology
From an Anglo-Norman word for a case that held a large cup or goblet, ultimately from a Frankish word for a bowl or cup — the "basket" and "obstruct" senses developed separately over time.