A
net, in its primary meaning, comprises fibers woven in a grid-like structure. It blocks the passage of large items, while letting small items and fluids pass. It requires less material than something sheet-like, and provides a degree of
transparency. Examples include
cargo nets,
fishing nets,
butterfly nets,
cricket nets,
bird netting or nets used in sporting
goals in games such as
soccer,
basketball,
Bossaball and
ice hockey. A net also separates opponents in various
net sports such as
volleyball,
tennis,
badminton, and
table tennis, where the ball or shuttlecock must go over the net to remain in play. Nets have been in use since primitive times, and the weaving of nets may be a precedent to
basket weaving.