• DarkCloud@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    sticky wicket

    noun

    A difficult or embarrassing problem or situation. A pitch that has become wet because of rain and therefore on which the ball bounces unpredictably. A difficult or unpredictable situation.

    • Bob@feddit.nl
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      2 months ago

      Is this not commonly known? I used this expression just yesterday.

      • state_electrician@discuss.tchncs.de
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        2 months ago

        Well, there are people outside of the US, some of whom don’t even have English as their first language. A quick investigation into this leads me.to believe that there might even be more people outside the US than inside. Most of those people have never heard of a sticky wicket.

        • tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip
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          2 months ago

          Is this a US expression? I never heard it growing up so I just assumed it was from the UK or something

          • state_electrician@discuss.tchncs.de
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            2 months ago

            I just looked it up and apparently it comes from cricket, which of course is not an American sport. I just assumed it was American, because Gary Larson is an American.

            Ah, well. My original point that most people will never have heard of it still stands. And who doesn’t enjoy making fun of ignorant Americans? 😄

        • Bob@feddit.nl
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          2 months ago

          I’ll thank you to stop insinuating that I’m American, and it’s so bleedingly obvious that I’m not talking about non-native speakers.