Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Cricket?

\Crick"et\ (kr?k"?t), n. [OE. criket, OF. crequet, criquet; prob. of German origin, and akin to E. creak; cf. D. kriek a cricket. See {Creak}.] (Zo["o]l.) An orthopterous insect of the genus {Gryllus}, and allied genera. The males make chirping, musical notes by rubbing together the basal parts of the veins of the front wings. Note: The common European cricket is {Gryllus domesticus}; the common large black crickets of America are {G. niger}, {G. neglectus}, and others. {Balm cricket}. See under {Balm}. {Cricket bird}, a small European bird ({Silvia locustella}); -- called also {grasshopper warbler}. {Cricket frog}, a small American tree frog ({Acris gryllus}); -- so called from its chirping.
\Crick"et\, n. [AS. cricc, crycc, crooked staff, crutch. Perh. first used in sense 1, a stool prob. having been first used as a wicket. See {Crutch}.] 1. A low stool. 2. A game much played in England, and sometimes in America, with a ball, bats, and wickets, the players being arranged in two contesting parties or sides. 3. (Arch.) A small false roof, or the raising of a portion of a roof, so as to throw off water from behind an obstacle, such as a chimney.
\Crick"et\, v. i. To play at cricket. --Tennyson.