wicket gate
1
7.9
- noun
- /ˈwɪkɪt ɡeɪt/
- The old wicket gate creaked as I opened it.
Examples
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The servant slipped quietly through the wicket gate, careful not to attract attention.
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The old castle had a wicket gate that allowed guards to enter unnoticed at night.
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You can use the wicket gate to access the garden without opening the main gate.
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There is a wicket gate beside the main entrance.
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The children rushed through the wicket gate to play in the garden.
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The old castle had a wicket gate beside the massive wooden doors for easier access.
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When visiting the park, we used the wicket gate instead of the main entrance to avoid the long line.
Synonyms
1
7.5
A small gate set inside a larger gate or door to let people through
A small opening in a larger gate or entrance for one person to pass through
How Big
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a small gate or door' is directly and compositionally derived from combining 'wicket' (a little gate) with 'gate' (a barrier/door), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the overall meaning. This noun+noun compound follows a common and predictable formation found in many languages, making it immediately comprehensible.
Etymology
Wicket gate comes from old doors in walls where a small wicket was built into or beside a large gate, so a person could enter without opening the main entrance. So today wicket gate means 'a small gate or door next to a larger gate'.