cricket table: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low/Historical/NicheFormal/Historical/Antiques & Furniture
Quick answer
What does “cricket table” mean?
A small, low table, typically of 17th- or 18th-century American design, with a circular top supported by three splayed legs connected by a stretcher.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small, low table, typically of 17th- or 18th-century American design, with a circular top supported by three splayed legs connected by a stretcher.
In modern contexts, the term refers to any small, light, portable side table, often used for holding drinks or books. In British English, it can also refer to a small folding table used for playing card games or as a side table for tea.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In American English, the term is almost exclusively associated with a specific historic style of tripod table from the colonial era. In British English, it can more broadly refer to a small, often foldable, table used for games or tea, though this usage is also dated.
Connotations
American: historical craftsmanship, colonial antiquity, museum pieces. British: gentility, pastimes (like cards or tea), possibly garden furniture.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both dialects. Most likely encountered in museums, antique auctions, historical novels, or specialist writing.
Grammar
How to Use “cricket table” in a Sentence
The [adjective] cricket table [verb, e.g., stood, was placed] in the corner.They found an [material] cricket table at the auction.The room was furnished with a [period/style] cricket table.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cricket table” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The butler would cricket-table the tea service every afternoon. (archaic/rare)
American English
- The curator carefully cricket-tabled the porcelain vase. (highly speculative/jargon)
adjective
British English
- The cricket-table design was popular in Georgian country houses. (possible)
American English
- The museum's cricket-table collection is unparalleled. (possible)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Extremely rare. Potentially in the business of antique furniture restoration or auction house catalogues.
Academic
Used in art history, material culture studies, American history, and decorative arts papers.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation unless discussing specific antiques.
Technical
Used in furniture-making, cabinetmaking, historical restoration, and museology.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cricket table”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cricket table”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cricket table”
- Confusing it with a table used for playing the sport of cricket.
- Using it to describe any small modern table.
- Assuming it is a common household item.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not. The name's origin is uncertain but it is not related to the sport. It refers to a style of small antique table.
In a museum of decorative arts, a historic house museum, an antique shop, or a high-end auction catalogue.
Yes, some furniture makers produce reproductions or modern interpretations of the historical design, but they are niche products.
They are very similar and the terms are often used interchangeably. A candlestand might imply a slightly taller, thinner design specifically for holding candles, while a cricket table is a broader category for small tripod tables.
A small, low table, typically of 17th- or 18th-century American design, with a circular top supported by three splayed legs connected by a stretcher.
Cricket table is usually formal/historical/antiques & furniture in register.
Cricket table: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkrɪk.ɪt ˌteɪ.bəl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkrɪk.ɪt ˌteɪ.bəl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly associated. Historically, it might be part of the idiom 'a round of cricket at the table' referring to a card game, but this is obsolete.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Picture a cricket (the insect) sitting on a very small, three-legged table. The table is so low and light, it's fit for a cricket.
Conceptual Metaphor
OBJECT IS AN ARTIFACT (highly specific, defined by history and form).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary defining feature of an American cricket table?