Sticky Wicket
/ˌstɪk.i ˈwɪk.ɪt/noun
A difficult situation, originally a cricket pitch made treacherous by rain.
Did you know?In cricket, a wet pitch could make the ball behave unpredictably, turning an ordinary game into a near-magical contest of deception, danger, and nerve.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*steig-
“To prick, pierce, or stick; a reconstructed root associated with pointed contact.”
Old English
Old English
stician
“To stick, pierce, or remain fixed.”
Middle English
English
stikke
“A pointed piece of wood or something fixed in place; the ancestor of “stick.””
13th Century
Old Northern French
wiket
“A small door or gate, borrowed into English from a French form related to “gate” or “door.””
18th Century
English
wicket
“In cricket, the set of three stumps and two bails, later also the playing area between them.”
19th Century
English
sticky wicket
“A cricket pitch made difficult and unpredictable by rain; later, figuratively, a troublesome situation.”