Idiom
not cricket
Meanings
Unfair or dishonest; not acceptable behaviour.
Definition
Used to say that something is unfair, dishonest, or not acceptable.
"Not cricket" is a British idiom meaning that a situation or behaviour is unfair or not in keeping with expected standards of honesty and good manners. People use it to criticise something that feels wrong or unjust. It is often said in a mild, sometimes humorous way.
Examples
- It’s not cricket to take credit for someone else’s work.
- Changing the rules halfway through the game is not cricket.
- It felt not cricket when they ignored our side of the story.
- Leaving your teammates to do all the work is not cricket.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use "not cricket" to mean "not correct" because of the similar sound, but it only means "unfair" or "dishonest."
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More idioms
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- ducks in a row To have everything organized and ready for action.