Cricket is an outdoor game played between two teams. Players try to score points, called runs, by hitting a ball with a wooden bat.
During the summer term we would play cricket at the village ground.
...the Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
2.
See not cricket
3. countable noun
A cricket is a small jumping insect that produces short, loud sounds by rubbing its wings together.
cricket in British English1
(ˈkrɪkɪt)
noun
1.
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
2.
any of various related insects, such as the mole cricket
Word origin
C14: from Old French criquet, from criquer to creak, of imitative origin
cricket in British English2
(ˈkrɪkɪt)
noun
1.
a.
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
b.
(as modifier)
a cricket bat
2. not cricket
verb(intransitive)
3.
to play cricket
Derived forms
cricketer (ˈcricketer)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Old French criquet goalpost, wicket, of uncertain origin
cricket in British English3
(ˈkrɪkɪt)
noun
a small low stool
Word origin
C17: of unknown origin
cricket in American English1
(ˈkrɪkɪt)
noun
1.
any of various families (esp. Gryllidae) of generally dark-colored, leaping, orthopteran insects usually having long antennae: the males produce a characteristicchirping noise by rubbing parts of the forewings together
2.
a small metal toy or signaling device that makes a clicking sound when pressed
Word origin
ME criket < OFr criquet < criquer, to creak, of echoic orig.
cricket in American English2
(ˈkrɪkɪt)
noun
1.
a game played with a red leather ball and a flat wooden bat by two teams of eleven players each on a large field: the teams bat andbowl alternately, the batting team attempting to score runs: the team scoring the most runs wins the game: popular in England and other parts of the Commonwealth
2. Informal
fair play; sportsmanship
verb intransitive
3.
to play cricket
Derived forms
cricketer (ˈcricketer)
noun
Word origin
OFr criquet, a stake or bat in a ball game; prob. dim. of MDu cricke, a stick; akin to crutch
cricket in American English3
(ˈkrɪkɪt)
noun
a wooden footstool
More idioms containing
cricket
it's not cricket
Examples of 'cricket' in a sentence
cricket
It affects the style of cricket and the ability of players to play to their potential.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
We will only get that back if the team plays exciting cricket.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He has an old head on young shoulders and definitely knows his way round a cricket field.
The Sun (2012)
We want a good game of cricket with good carry.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
English cricket will watch on in fascination and hope.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There are more chess sets out there than cricket bats.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We went out to play positive cricket and it was outstanding.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
They also put together a makeshift cricket team and took on locals in all the towns they visited.
The Sun (2006)
The house system was very strong and there was great competition between the houses over football and cricket.
Max Arthur Lost Voices of the Edwardians: 19011910 in the words of the Men & Women Who WereThere (2006)
The job of cricket captain gives a player more responsibility than any player shoulders in any other team sport.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The only disappointment was that all the success came in one-day cricket.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
We get on really well and like talking about cricket, bowling and figuring out opponents.
The Sun (2016)
County cricket would be all the poorer if the Horsham festival ceased to exist.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The bus turned right off the main road at the army checkpoint as always and rounded the corner past the deserted cricket ground.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
His cricketing ability meant that he was not sent to serve in Korea.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
My enthusiasm one-day cricket is still there.
The Sun (2006)
We've played a lot of cricket together growing up.
The Sun (2013)
An equally big sin is to have mastered the skills through bowling in county cricket rather than being taken under the England wing.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The trio flew back to Pakistan earlier this month, before the end of the cricket tour.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Close retired from county cricket at the end of the following season, and moved back to Yorkshire.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He could easily join the ranks of those who find first-class cricket a bit of a mystery while Test cricket becomes a natural environment.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Word lists with
cricket
Types of insect
In other languages
cricket
British English: cricket /ˈkrɪkɪt/ NOUN
gameCricket is a game where two teams take turns to hit a ball with a bat and run up and down.
American English: cricket game
Arabic: لُعْبَة الكريكيت
Brazilian Portuguese: críquete
Chinese: 板球
Croatian: kriket
Czech: kriket
Danish: kricket
Dutch: cricket
European Spanish: cricket
Finnish: kriketti
French: cricket
German: Cricket
Greek: κρίκετ
Italian: cricket
Japanese: クリケット game
Korean: 크리켓
Norwegian: cricket
Polish: krykiet
European Portuguese: críquete
Romanian: crichet
Russian: крикет
Latin American Spanish: críquet
Swedish: kricket
Thai: กีฬาคริกเก็ต
Turkish: kriket
Ukrainian: крикет
Vietnamese: môn crickê
British English: cricket /ˈkrɪkɪt/ NOUN
insect A cricket is a small jumping insect that rubs its wings together to make a high sound.
American English: cricket insect
Arabic: صَرَّارُ اللَّيْل
Brazilian Portuguese: grilo
Chinese: 蟋蟀
Croatian: cvrčak
Czech: cvrček
Danish: fårekylling
Dutch: krekel
European Spanish: grillo
Finnish: heinäsirkka
French: grillon
German: Grille
Greek: γρύλος
Italian: grillo
Japanese: コオロギ insect
Korean: 귀뚜라미
Norwegian: siriss
Polish: świerszcz
European Portuguese: grilo
Romanian: greiere
Russian: сверчок
Latin American Spanish: grillo
Swedish: syrsa
Thai: จิ้งหรีด
Turkish: cırcır böceği
Ukrainian: цвіркун
Vietnamese: con dế
All related terms of 'cricket'
cricket bat
a specially shaped, carved wooden bat used to play cricket
not cricket
If you say that someone's behaviour is not cricket , you mean that they have not behaved fairly .
cage cricket
a form of cricket played in an enclosed space , in which six players compete as individuals
cricket ball
the ball used to play cricket
grade cricket
competitive cricket , in which cricket club teams are arranged in grades
mole cricket
any subterranean orthopterous insect of the family Gryllotalpidae, of Europe and North America, similar and related to crickets but having the first pair of legs specialized for digging
test cricket
a form of cricket that takes the longest amount of time to play
county cricket
(in Britain) cricket played between county teams competing in the county cricket championship
French cricket
a child's game resembling cricket , in which the batsman's legs are used as the wicket
pyjama cricket
one-day cricket , in which the players wear colourful clothing rather than the traditional whites used in longer forms of the game
shield cricket
the interstate cricket competition held for the Sheffield Shield
Jerusalem cricket
any of a family (Stenopelmatidae) of burrowing , wingless , long-horned crickets common in dry regions of W U.S.
it's not cricket
said to mean that someone's behaviour is unfair or unreasonable