Definition

Noun: 1. A small gate or door, especially one that is part of or set within a larger door or gate. It is designed to allow a person to pass through without opening the main, larger structure.

Usage

A wicket gate is typically used for convenience and security. It allows individual pedestrian access through a larger barrier, such as a fence, wall, or the main door of a fortified building, without compromising the security provided by keeping the main gate closed.

Examples

• The guard opened the wicket gate in the castle's main door to speak to the visitor.
• Please use the wicket gate at the side of the main entrance after hours.
• The old garden wall had a wooden wicket gate that led to the orchard.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Architectural Context: In medieval castle architecture, a wicket gate was a crucial defensive feature, allowing safe inspection of visitors.
• Cricket: While "wicket gate" itself is not a cricket term, the word "wicket" in cricket refers to the set of three stumps. The "gate" in this phrase is unrelated to this sporting meaning.

Variants and Related Words

• Wicket (noun): Can refer to the small gate itself, or in cricket, to the set of stumps or the pitch.
• Postern (noun): A synonym, often used historically for a secondary, discreet gate in a fortification.
• Kissing gate (noun): A specific type of pedestrian gate that allows people but not livestock to pass, often found in rural areas.

Synonyms

• Postern (gate)
• Small gate
• Pedestrian gate

Antonyms

• Main gate
• Portcullis

Related Phrases/Idioms

• "To come through the wicket gate": Can be used figuratively to mean gaining entry or access in a modest, indirect, or unofficial way, rather than through the main or formal channel.

Noun

1. small gate or door (especially one that is part of a larger door)