diff --git a/jquery.visible.js b/jquery.visible.js
index 5cd9aeb..9d49907 100644
--- a/jquery.visible.js
+++ b/jquery.visible.js
@@ -7,25 +7,26 @@
      *
      * @author Sam Sehnert
      * @desc A small plugin that checks whether elements are within
-     *       the user visible viewport of a web browser.
-     *       only accounts for vertical position, not horizontal.
+     *       the user visible viewport of a web browser,
+     *       or within the visible area of a containing element.
      */
-    var $w = $(window);
-    $.fn.visible = function(partial,hidden,direction){
+    var _$w = $(window);
+    $.fn.visible = function(partial,hidden,direction,container){
 
         if (this.length < 1)
             return;
 
-        var $t        = this.length > 1 ? this.eq(0) : this,
-            t         = $t.get(0),
-            vpWidth   = $w.width(),
-            vpHeight  = $w.height(),
-            direction = (direction) ? direction : 'both',
+        var $w         = container ? $(container) : _$w,
+            $t         = this.length > 1 ? this.eq(0) : this,
+            t          = $t.get(0),
+            vpWidth    = $w.width(),
+            vpHeight   = $w.height(),
+            direction  = direction ? direction : 'both',
             clientSize = hidden === true ? t.offsetWidth * t.offsetHeight : true;
 
-        if (typeof t.getBoundingClientRect === 'function'){
+        if (!container && typeof t.getBoundingClientRect === 'function'){
 
-            // Use this native browser method, if available.
+            // Use this native browser method if available, if window is our container.
             var rec = t.getBoundingClientRect(),
                 tViz = rec.top    >= 0 && rec.top    <  vpHeight,
                 bViz = rec.bottom >  0 && rec.bottom <= vpHeight,
@@ -40,11 +41,13 @@
                 return clientSize && vVisible;
             else if(direction === 'horizontal')
                 return clientSize && hVisible;
+            
         } else {
 
-            var viewTop         = $w.scrollTop(),
+            var wOffset         = container ? $w.offset() : null,
+                viewTop         = container ? wOffset.top : $w.scrollTop(),
                 viewBottom      = viewTop + vpHeight,
-                viewLeft        = $w.scrollLeft(),
+                viewLeft        = container ? wOffset.left : $w.scrollLeft(),
                 viewRight       = viewLeft + vpWidth,
                 offset          = $t.offset(),
                 _top            = offset.top,
@@ -65,4 +68,4 @@
         }
     };
 
-})(jQuery);
\ No newline at end of file
+})(jQuery);
diff --git a/jquery.visible.min.js b/jquery.visible.min.js
index e3a2014..2ba6c03 100644
--- a/jquery.visible.min.js
+++ b/jquery.visible.min.js
@@ -1 +1 @@
-(function(e){e.fn.visible=function(t,n,r){var i=e(this).eq(0),s=i.get(0),o=e(window),u=o.scrollTop(),a=u+o.height(),f=o.scrollLeft(),l=f+o.width(),c=i.offset().top,h=c+i.height(),p=i.offset().left,d=p+i.width(),v=t===true?h:c,m=t===true?c:h,g=t===true?d:p,y=t===true?p:d,b=n===true?s.offsetWidth*s.offsetHeight:true,r=r?r:"both";if(r==="both")return!!b&&m<=a&&v>=u&&y<=l&&g>=f;else if(r==="vertical")return!!b&&m<=a&&v>=u;else if(r==="horizontal")return!!b&&y<=l&&g>=f}})(jQuery)
\ No newline at end of file
+(function(e){var t=e(window);e.fn.visible=function(n,r,i,s){if(this.length<1)return;var o=s?e(s):t,u=this.length>1?this.eq(0):this,a=u.get(0),f=o.width(),l=o.height(),i=i?i:"both",c=r===true?a.offsetWidth*a.offsetHeight:true;if(!s&&typeof a.getBoundingClientRect==="function"){var h=a.getBoundingClientRect(),p=h.top>=0&&h.top<l,d=h.bottom>0&&h.bottom<=l,v=h.left>=0&&h.left<f,m=h.right>0&&h.right<=f,g=n?p||d:p&&d,y=n?v||v:v&&m;if(i==="both")return c&&g&&y;else if(i==="vertical")return c&&g;else if(i==="horizontal")return c&&y}else{var b=s?o.offset():null,w=s?b.top:o.scrollTop(),E=w+l,S=s?b.left:o.scrollLeft(),x=S+f,T=u.offset(),N=T.top,C=N+u.height(),k=T.left,L=k+u.width(),A=n===true?C:N,O=n===true?N:C,M=n===true?L:k,_=n===true?k:L;if(i==="both")return!!c&&O<=E&&A>=w&&_<=x&&M>=S;else if(i==="vertical")return!!c&&O<=E&&A>=w;else if(i==="horizontal")return!!c&&_<=x&&M>=S}}})(jQuery)