cricket
1 Americannoun
-
any of several jumping, orthopterous insects of the family Gryllidae, characterized by long antennae and stridulating organs on the forewings of the male, as one of the species commonly found in pastures and meadows field cricket or on trees and shrubs tree cricket.
-
a small metal toy with a flat metal spring that snaps back and forth with a clicking, cricketlike noise when pressed.
noun
-
a game, popular especially in England, for two teams of 11 members each that is played on a field having two wickets 22 yards (20 meters) apart, the object being to score runs by batting the ball far enough so that one is enabled to exchange wickets with the batsman defending the opposite wicket before the ball is recovered.
-
fair play; honorable conduct.
It wouldn't be cricket to look at his cards.
verb (used without object)
noun
noun
noun
-
-
a game played by two teams of eleven players on a field with a wicket at either end of a 22-yard pitch, the object being for one side to score runs by hitting a hard leather-covered ball with a bat while the other side tries to dismiss them by bowling, catching, running them out, etc
-
( as modifier )
a cricket bat
-
-
informal not fair play
verb
noun
-
any insect of the orthopterous family Gryllidae, having long antennae and, in the males, the ability to produce a chirping sound (stridulation) by rubbing together the leathery forewings
-
any of various related insects, such as the mole cricket
noun
Other Word Forms
- cricketer noun
- cricketlike adjective
Etymology
Origin of cricket1
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English criket, creket, from Old French criquet, equivalent to criqu(er) “to creak” (imitative) + -et noun suffix; -et
Origin of cricket2
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Middle French criquet “goalpost”; further origin uncertain; perhaps from Middle Dutch krick(e) “arm, crosspiece, stick, staff, gallows”
Origin of cricket3
First recorded in 1635–45; of obscure origin; compare cracket, with same sense
Origin of cricket4
Of uncertain origin
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There were four sixes but the the risk-free control of 12 fours, which barely got off the carpet, emphasised T20 cricket's most important muscle is the mind not the bicep.
From BBC
Jacks took six wickets in his first match, Ahmed five as he became the youngest man to play Test cricket for England.
From BBC
Even the little speckled tree frogs, the katydids, and the crickets were chipping in with their nickel’s worth of welcome music.
From Literature
He does play the finisher role in 50-over cricket after all.
From BBC
Brook answered all the critics in wonderful fashion on Tuesday night, demonstrating an intelligent cricketing brain to go with his unquestioned batting talent.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
