[sometimeshuman]

This got dark quick: "basket case" Originally referred to one who has lost all four limbs and therefore needed to be carried around in a basket.

I've only heard of basket case from the context of barely ridable motorcycle in a constant state of repair with its random parts in a basket.

I wish it was my job to make this sort of document. I'd make up all sorts of crazy backstories for slang no one has ever heard of.

[dqpb]

I didn't know that. And now that I do know it, I feel harmed.

[TexanFeller]

I always thought it came from insane asylums using basket weaving as an activity/therapy.

[geomark]

Same with me when I was a teen and all my friends had motorcycles, several ending up being basket cases.

[HideousKojima]

I only know it thanks to the Green Day song of the same name.

[crypot]

I feel like someone that had no limbs would still be too heavy to carry around in a basket. What is the weight of a delimbed torso?

[Nasrudith]

It varies by person. A quick search of body weight percentage is about 4-5% per arm and 16-17% per leg. For a 150 lb while intact man that would be about 70ish to 80ish pounds. Baskets may be carried by multiple people or dragged though.

Apparently according to one source the basket case origin was a result of rumor telephone and loss of context. https://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2014/08/basket-case.html