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a window or opening, often closed by a grating or the like, as in a door, or forming a place of communication in a ticket office, a teller’s cage in a bank, etc.
Croquet. a hoop or arch.
a turnstile in an entrance.
a small door or gate, especially one beside, or forming part of, a larger one.
a small gate by which a canal lock is emptied.
a gate by which a flow of water is regulated, as to a waterwheel.
Cricket.

either of the two frameworks, each consisting of three stumps with two bails in grooves across the tops, at which the bowler aims the ball.
the area between the wickets; the playing field.
one batsman’s turn at the wicket.
the period during which two players bat together.
a batsman’s inning that is not completed or not begun.

to be on / have / bat a sticky wicket, British Slang. to be at or have a disadvantage.
Historical Examples

If point had not stopped to dance and rub his leg, the wicket must have fallen.
The Idler Magazine, Volume III, June 1893 Various

Trigson could be relied upon to keep his wicket up, but not to score.
The Wonder J. D. Beresford

There had been a heavy dew, and after breakfast they all walked down to the ground to look at the wicket.
The Lonely Unicorn Alec Waugh

The field was very close to the wicket, and the ball was travelling fast.
The Wonder J. D. Beresford

Behind the wicket sat a young woman of much self-possession.
From Place to Place Irvin S. Cobb

It made his wicket look as untidy as any wicket I have ever seen.
The Wonder J. D. Beresford

After she had disappeared he opened the wicket and stepped out, letting Achilles follow him.
Walter and the Wireless Sara Ware Bassett

The click of the wicket gate was the signal for instant disappearance.
Greyfriars Bobby Eleanor Atkinson

A short walk brought me to the wicket entrance, where an old man admitted me to the once sternly guarded fortress.
The Retrospect Ada Cambridge

He followed her down the path and unfastened the wicket gate.
Antony Gray,–Gardener Leslie Moore

noun
a small door or gate, esp one that is near to or part of a larger one
(US) a small window or opening in a door, esp one fitted with a grating or glass pane, used as a means of communication in a ticket office, bank, etc
a small sluicegate, esp one in a canal lock gate or by a water wheel
(US) a croquet hoop

(cricket) either of two constructions, placed 22 yards apart, consisting of three pointed stumps stuck parallel in the ground with two wooden bails resting on top, at which the batsman stands
the strip of ground between these
a batsman’s turn at batting or the period during which two batsmen bat: a third-wicket partnership
the act or instance of a batsman being got out: the bowler took six wickets

keep wicket, to act as a wicketkeeper
(informal) on a sticky wicket, in an awkward situation
n.

early 13c., “small door or gate,” from Anglo-French wiket, from Old North French wiket (French guichet) “wicket, wicket gate,” probably from Proto-Germanic *wik- (cf. Old Norse vik “nook”) related to Old English wican “to give way, yield” (see weak). The notion is of “something that turns.” Cricket sense of “set of three sticks defended by the batsman” is recorded from 1733.

adjective

Impressive; prodigious; mean: He can shake a wicked spatula/ Look at the wicked bat he swings!
Excellent; wonderful; bad, great (1920+)

Related Terms

shake a wicked calf