Korb

From Middle High German korp, from Old High German korb, chorp, from Proto-West Germanic *korb.

The sense “rejection of a (romantic) request” is formed back from the expressions einen Korb geben (“to so reject”), einen Korb kriegen (“to be so rejected”). These derive from certain older customs, which involved a bottomless basket as a symbol of the end or inexistence of love. The further origin of this symbol seems uncertain, though it has been plausibly related to the apparent mediaeval practice of pulling a secret visitor up to one’s window in a basket. Compare the same in Dutch een korf krijgen and Swedish få korgen.

• IPA^(key): /kɔrp/, [kɔʁp], [kɔɐ̯p], [kɔːp]

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔɐ̯p

Korb m (strong, genitive Korbes or Korbs, plural Körbe, diminutive Körbchen n or Körblein n)

1. basket, creel

   Ich brauche einen Korb für die Beeren, die ich pflücke.

   I need a basket for the berries that I pick.

   1. (basketball) hoop
   2. (botany) anthodium (inflorescence of a compound flower)
   3. (aviation) nacelle
2. (figurative, often as ein ganzer Korb) a variety, selection, range
   1. (law) a set of laws around a certain theme
3. (informal) rejection of a request, especially romantic, such as a proposal or asking for a date

• korbartig
• korbförmig

• Korbblüte
• Korbblütler
• Korbleger
• Korbmacher
• Korbflechter
• Korbladen
• Korbständer
• Korbwaren

• “Korb” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “Korb” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.
• “Korb” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Korb” in Duden online