Also 5–7 flaskett, 6 -it. [a. OF. flasquet (northern form of flachet), dim. of flasque, flache, FLASK sb.2
Sense 1 appears to be unknown in Fr.; Welsh has fflasged in same sense, doubtless adopted from Eng. (cf. FLASK sb.2 5). In sense 2 the earlier form is FLACKET.]
1. ‘A long shallow basket’ (J.).
1460–65. Churchw. Acc. St. Andrew’s, Eastcheap, in Brit. Mag., XXXI. 395. Item for a baskett to put in the Juellys … and for iij Flasketts.
1596. Spenser, Prothal., 23.
| As each had bene a Bryde, | |
| And each one had a little wicker basket, | |
| Made of fine twigs entrayled curiously, | |
| In which they gathered flowers to fill their flasket: | |
| And with fine Fingers, cropt full feateously | |
| The tender stalkes on hye. |
1664. Evelyn, Sylva (1776), 254. It [the Ozier] likewise yields more limber and flexible twigs for baskets, flaskets, hampers, cages, lattices, cradles, &c.
1700. Parnell, Battle Frogs & Mice, I. 54.
| In vain the circled Loaves attempt to lie | |
| Conceal’d in Flaskets from my curious eye. |
1770. Parnell, in Ann. Reg., 220.
| The Fauns thro’ ev’ry furrow shoot | |
| To load their flaskets with the fruit. |
a. 1849. J. C. Mangan, trans. Schiller, Polycrates and his King, Poems (1859), 66.
| A fisher with his teeming flasket, | |
| Who cried, ‘Great King, thy days be pleasant, | |
| Thou wilt not scorn my humble present, | |
| This fish, the choicest in my basket.’ |
1881. Miss Yonge, Lads & Lasses Langley, iv. 147. There was a great flasket, which they carried between them, each holding one handle.
transf. 1756–66. T. Amory, J. Buncle (1825), III. 79. He was humped behind to an enormous degree, and his belly as a vast flasket of garbage projected monstrously before.
b. A similar article made of metal.
1610. G. Fletcher, Christ’s Vict. in Heaven, 85.
| Bring, bring, ye Graces, all your silver flaskets, | |
| Painted with every choicest flowre that growes, | |
| That I may soon unflow’r your fragrant baskets, | |
| To strow the fields with odours where he goes. |
1715. trans. Mad. D’Ano’s Wks., 416. Precious Stones, Laces, Ribbands, all in large Flaskets of Filagreen Gold.
1725. Pope, Odyss., X. 417.
| One o’er the couches painted carpets threw, | |
| Whose purple lustre glow’d against the view: | |
| White linen lay beneath. Another plac’d | |
| The silver stands with golden flaskets grac’d. |
c. So much as is contained in a flasket.
1540. Act 32 Hen. VIII., c. 14. For a flasket of sope. iiii. d.
d. dial. ‘A shallow washing tub’ (Halliwell).
1814. Pegge, Suppl. to Grose, Flasket, an oval tub with two handles, used in washing. York.
1888. Sheffield Gloss., Flasket, an oblong or oval-shaped tub used in washing clothes.
2. A small flask.
1577. Fenton, Gold. Epist., 30. Dauid was a theefe when he conueyed the lance flasket of water from the beds head of Saule.
1583. Wills & Inv. N. C. (Surtees, 1860), 74. Thre glasse flasketts 3/.
1634. Malory’s Arthur, VIII. xxiv. They saw a little flasket [1485, flacked] of gold stand by them, and it seemed by the colour and the taste that it was noble wine.
1891. A. Lang, At the Sign of the Ship, in Longm. Mag., XVIII. Aug., 444.
| Or, if he mark a rising trout, | |
| He straightway is caught up, | |
| And then he takes his flasket out, | |
| And drinks a rousing cup. |
