Definition of "hoop"

He took the removed chair and drew it so near mine, squatting in it with his ugly weight, that he pressed upon my hoop.

1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XVI”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; […]

The door of the room now flew open, and, after pushing in her hoop sideways before her, entered Lady Bellaston, who having first made a very low courtesy to Mrs Fitzpatrick, and as low a one to Mr Jones, was ushered to the upper end of the room.

1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

Articles ranging from Chris Johnson's "For Europeans, hoops is the second-most beautiful game" for The Globe and Mail to Adam Minter's "China Is Hoops Country" for Bloomberg Opinion have detailed the rise in basketball in a wide range of countries, including the most populous ones in the world.

2018 July 30, Bruce Y. Lee, “How This Sport Is Changing Kids' Health Around The World”, in Forbes‎

Porto are playing from right to left in blue and white stripes, blue shorts and blue socks. Celtic are in their usual green and white hoops, with white shorts and white socks.

2003 May 21, Barry Glendenning "Minute-by-minute: Celtic 2 - 3 FC Porto (AET)" The Guardian (London)

Tipperary v Clare: IF ANYTHING can relight the fire of the old Clare hurling passion it’s the sight of the blue jersey with the gold hoop.

2009 June 20, Ian O'Riordan, “Tipperary look in better shape”, in The Irish Times

The stewards ordered Des Coleman, the senior hoop (jockey) present, to ride and he got the horse home in a photo-finish.

2011, James Morton, Susanna Lobez, Kings of Stings: The Greatest Swindles from Down Under

But if they want to export that, then they do have to go through several hoops that you will impose upon them.

1997, Security and Freedom Through Encryption (SAFE) Act

Windows forces you to jump through several hoops before allowing you to delete a partition — and for good reason.

2000, Ed Bott, Special Edition Using Microsoft Windows, page 252

Although restrictions like prior authorization and step therapy may be of benefit in protecting people's health or even saving them money, most Medicare beneficiaries regard them as a hassle — just more hoops to go through to get the drugs they need.

2008, Patricia Barry, Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage For Dummies, page 49

So it looks certain that I will be returning to Australia, when at the last, I am offered a job by a London school that is willing to jump through the hoops involved to sponsor me for a visa.

2011, Jason Toll, Moscow Bound

[B]ehold the wretched price of Wales, / Hoopt with a bond of yron round about, […]

1596, [attributed to William Shakespeare; Thomas Kyd], The Raigne of King Edward the Third: […], London: […] [T. Scarlet] for Cuthbert Burby, [Act IV, scene v]

Instead of hooping, they now played tennis, golf, or both.

2019, Charley Rosen, Trouthe, Lies, and Basketball