# basket house

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/basket-house
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A cafe or similar establishment where musical performances are given and the performers are then paid with money placed in a basket by members of the audience.

## Examples

- We listen to live music at the local basket house every Friday.
- The young guitarist played a beautiful set at the basket house, hoping the audience would fill his basket with tips.
- The city's vibrant folk scene thrived in the dimly lit basket house, where performers relied entirely on the generosity of the crowd to earn their keep.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.