wicket
C1Specialized/technical in sports (cricket, croquet); literary/archaic for gate or small door; metaphorical use is informal.
Definition
Meaning
A small door or gate, especially one built into or beside a larger one. In cricket, a set of three vertical stumps with two horizontal bails.
A metaphorical situation of difficulty or pressure (from cricket, 'sticky wicket'); a small window or opening; in croquet, a hoop through which the ball is driven.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary modern meaning is almost exclusively tied to cricket in everyday use. The 'gate/door' meaning is now chiefly historical or regional. The metaphorical sense ('on a sticky wicket') is understood in Commonwealth countries and in contexts influenced by British English.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The cricket and metaphorical meanings are common and understood in British English. In American English, the word is known primarily in the context of cricket (a niche sport) and the phrase 'sticky wicket', which may be recognized as a British idiom but is not commonly used. The 'gate/door' meaning is obsolete in AmE.
Connotations
In BrE: strong sporting/cultural connotations, evoking summer, tradition. In AmE: exotic, British, or related to a specialized sport.
Frequency
High frequency in UK, NZ, IN, AU, PK, etc., in sports contexts. Very low frequency in US, CA, except among cricket enthusiasts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
take a wicket (from a bowler)be on a sticky wicketkeep wicketVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on a sticky wicket (in a difficult situation)”
- “keep wicket (act as wicket-keeper)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Metaphorical: 'The negotiations are on a sticky wicket.'
Academic
Rare, except in historical texts (architecture) or sports studies.
Everyday
In cricket-playing nations: 'He took five wickets.' Elsewhere: almost never used.
Technical
Cricket: precise dimensions, condition of the wicket (pitch). Croquet: the metal hoop.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- wicket-to-wicket bowling
- a wicket-less session
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The ball hit the wicket.
- There is a small wicket in the big gate.
- The bowler took two wickets in one over.
- We entered through the old wooden wicket.
- Losing three quick wickets put the team under pressure.
- The project is on a sticky wicket due to funding issues.
- The condition of the wicket favoured spin bowlers from the first session.
- His argument was on a sticky wicket once the contradictory evidence was presented.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a cricket WICKET with three sticks – it looks like a tiny picket fence. Or, a WICKET-keeper wears thick pads like a knight at a castle gate.
Conceptual Metaphor
DIFFICULTY IS A STICKY WICKET (from cricket: a wet/damaged pitch makes batting hard).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'виккет' (non-existent). The cricket term is universally 'виккет' in transliteration. The 'small door' meaning translates as 'калитка', not 'ворота' (large gate).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'wicket' to mean the entire cricket pitch (it's just the stumps). Confusing 'wicket' with 'wicker' (basket material).
Practice
Quiz
What does 'keeping wicket' primarily involve in cricket?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The 'wicket' refers specifically to the set of three stumps and two bails. The 'pitch' is the prepared strip of ground between the two wickets.
Not in standard modern English. Related forms are 'wicket-keeping' (noun) and 'wicket-less' (adjective).
It means being in a difficult, tricky, or disadvantageous position. E.g., 'The CEO found himself on a sticky wicket during the hostile takeover.'
It is archaic but can be found in historical contexts, literature, or in some regional/dialect use, especially in compound 'wicket-gate'.