cricket

A2 · Elementary Uncountable noun Sports

n. a team game played with a bat, a ball, and wickets, popular in the UK and Commonwealth.

n. an outdoor game played with bats, a ball, and wickets between two teams of eleven players; typically uncountable in this sense.

“We spent the whole afternoon watching a game of cricket at the local park.”

“The national team's victory in the cricket world cup sparked celebrations across the country, highlighting the sport's enduring popularity.”

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun British English · Informal

n. fair and honest behavior toward other people.

n. fair, honourable, or sportsmanlike conduct; frequently used in the negative 'it's not cricket' to denote unfairness.

“Changing the rules at the last minute just isn't cricket.”

“The CEO's decision to withhold bonuses while increasing his own salary was widely criticised as simply not being cricket.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Computing Technical · Slang

n. a loud, repeating alarm sound used in a plane's cockpit to warn pilots.

n. a specific aural warning signal in an aircraft cockpit, designed with a repetitive chime to ensure immediate pilot recognition.

“The pilot reacted immediately when the cricket started sounding in the cockpit.”

“During the emergency descent, the persistent chirping of the cricket alerted the crew to an airspeed deviation that required immediate correction.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun Informal · Humorous

n. a way to describe total silence, especially when you expect someone to speak.

n. used metaphorically in the plural to describe a lack of response or total silence following a statement or question.

“I asked if anyone wanted to help me clean, but all I heard was crickets.”

“The comedian's controversial joke was met with literal crickets from the audience, making the rest of the set incredibly awkward.”