Idiom
not cricket
Meanings
Unfair, improper, or not behaving according to accepted rules or standards.
Definition
Used to say that something is unfair or unacceptable.
"Not cricket" is an idiom meaning that a behavior or situation is unfair, improper, or against the expected rules of good conduct. It is often used to criticize someone for acting dishonestly or taking an unfair advantage. The expression is especially common in British English and can sound old-fashioned in American English.
Examples
- It’s not cricket to change the rules halfway through the game.
- Keeping the best tasks for yourself and dumping the rest on us is not cricket.
- It’s not cricket to take credit for someone else’s work.
- Refusing to pay after agreeing on a price is not cricket.
More at C1 level
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- close but no cigar Used to say someone almost succeeded but did not quite achieve the goal.
- come hell or high water No matter what happens or how difficult things become.
- brass monkeys “Brass monkeys” is used in the expression “cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey,” mea…
- get down to brass tacks To get down to brass tacks means to start discussing the most important practical details of someth…
More idioms
- Bob's your uncle Used to say that something will be easy or will happen exactly as expected after a simple step.
- close but no cigar Used to say someone almost succeeded but did not quite achieve the goal.
- down to the wire If something goes down to the wire, it is decided at the very last moment before the deadline or fi…
- lost the plot To become confused or unreasonable and no longer understand what is happening or what matters.
- ducks in a row To have everything organized and ready in the correct order.