Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. circular golden jewelry, e.g. a wedding ring, a bracelet [SE 16C–early 19C].

1800		T. Dibdin Jew and the Doctor II ii: That an insignificant hoop of gold should have the power to confine a couple who detest each other! ’Tis abominably provoking!
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.
1867		J. Greenwood Unsentimental Journeys 80: ‘Now then, how much on the old hoop?’ says he, and then slips it on his little finger.
1889–90		Barrère & Leland Dict. of Sl., Jargon and Cant.
1895		J. London ‘’Frisco Kid’s Story’ in High School Aegis X (15 Feb.) 2–3: Didn’t he sport a little hoop [...] I mean a ring, a gold ’un.
1895		Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 37: Hoop, a ring.
1904		‘Number 1500’ Life In Sing Sing 259: His Tommy has a hoop of stones. His girl has a diamond ring.
1914		T.A. Dorgan Indoor Sports 30 Mar. [synd. cartoon] It’s about time that boob came through with a hoop — He’s been goin’ with her 5 years.
1918		R.H. Knyvett ‘Over There’ with the Australians 47: On the third finger of the left hand under her glove you would surely find a diamond half-hoop.
1928		J. O’Connor Broadway Racketeers 243: Dropping hoops was a favorite pastime with the sidewalk hustlers.
1935		Thieves Slang ms list from District Police Training Centre, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Warwicks 5: Hoops: Gold bracelets.
1938		D. Runyon ‘It Comes Up Mud’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 531: The only diamond she ever sees is an engagement hoop.
1944		‘Jiver’s Bible’ in D. Burley Orig. Hbk of Harlem Jive.
1950		P. Hoskins No Hiding Place! 190/2: Fine Hoop. Good finger-ring.
1952		(con. 1944) G. Fowler Schnozzola 235: Jim went to Cartier’s to-day and put two dollars down on a gold hoop.
1967		L. Bruce Essential Lenny Bruce 233: She ain’t got a hoop on her finger.

2. in sexual contexts.

3. (Aus.) a jockey [by metonymy, based on the hooped ‘colours’ worn by some jockeys].

1926		Morn. Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld) 28 Dec. 13/4: At the finish of the race Marshall was hitting witness on the Teg with his whip. He showed the marks to a fellow ‘hoop’.
1933		Truth (Sydney) 12 Mar. 5/2: [headline] Hectic Hector Back in the Fold. Hoop Who Has Made Racing History.
1940		Sport (Adelaide) 30 Aug. 3/5: Two of the best horses piloted successfully by the ex-W.A. hoop. in Melbourne were Hostile and Baryta. During his three years’ sojourn in the West, Sharp rode 60 winners.
1947		Sun. Times (Perth) 28 Sept. 1s/3: Butch Jerger, a broken-down hoop who could only get no-hoper rides on country courses.
1949		L. Glassop Lucky Palmer 245: It’ll be like soda for a hoop like you.
1951		D. Stivens Jimmy Brockett 47: Jack and I now had something on Ted Jones, just as we had a bit on a few other hoops and one or two owners and trainers.
1966		J. Holledge Great Aust. Gamble 78: He [...] did not know that the hoop he engaged at the last minute had been wasting drastically to get his weight down.
1983		J. Byrell (con. 1959) Up the Cross 139: She had a date with a pretty well-known hoop.
1996		Ozwords Oct. 🌐 hoop a jockey. Some commentators argue that this meaning derives from the way jockeys use a whip, wielding it in a circular motion, but it is more likely that it derives from the standard English racing meaning of hoop, ‘a band in contrasting colour on a jockey’s blouse, sleeve, or cap.’.
1999		P. Temple Black Tide (2012) [ebook] ‘That [i.e. a fight] would have got the stewards’ attention’ [...] ‘No. Hoops’ business’.

4. (US) in pl., handcuffs.

1942

W. Winchell ‘On Broadway’ 29 July. [synd. col.] It took you a long time to rile up Uncle Samson to the point where he told his marshal to throw the hoops on you.

5. (US, also hoops) the game of basketball [the basketball hoop, thus the basketball film Hoop Dreams (1994)].

1977		J. Sayles Union Dues (1978) 277: Shooting a righteous game of hoop just when the sport was swinging into popularity.
1986		Eble Campus Sl. Oct. 3: hoops – basketball. Also hoop action, hoopage, hooping.
1993		J. Mowry Six Out Seven (1994) 461: Peace, brother. Wanna shoot some hoops.
2002		D.H. Sterry Chicken (2003) 155: My fellow hoopsters are out for a little lite hoops, looking to break a mini-sweat.
2012		M. Lacher On the Bro’d 151: Derek and Dinkel shot some hoops on Brad’s halfcourt setup.
2024		D. Rucker Life’s Too Short 110: Mark is a hoop rat [...] eager to take on any five who’ll play us.

6. (Aus. drugs) the tourniquet that isolates a vein prior to injecting a narcotic drug.

1997

L. Davies Candy 6: I show her how to tie a hoop that can be tightened or released quickly.