Meaning & use
howzat
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Meaning
interjectionsportinformal
A shout used by cricket players to ask the umpire if a batter is out.
Grammar: Used alone as a fixed exclamation, often with an exclamation mark. It is not used in other contexts.
Patterns
- shout howzat
- cry howzat
- appeal with howzat
The bowler ran up and shouted 'Howzat!' as the ball hit the pads.
After a loud howzat from the wicketkeeper, the umpire raised his finger.
The fielding side appealed with a chorus of howzats, but the umpire shook his head.
Common combinations
- shout howzat
- The whole team shouted howzat when they thought the batter was stumped.
- a loud howzat
- A loud howzat came from behind the stumps, but the umpire was not convinced.
- cry howzat
- The bowler cried howzat in desperation as the ball swung late.
- howzat appeal
- The howzat appeal was turned down because the ball had clearly pitched outside leg.
Synonyms and how they differ
- appeal
- In cricket, an appeal is the formal request to the umpire; howzat is the actual word shouted during an appeal.
Commonly confused: howzat or how's that?
howzat vs how's that
How's that is a general question meaning 'How is that?' and is not used as a cricket appeal.
Practice
In cricket, what does a player shout to ask the umpire if a batter is out?
Choose one answer.
Howzat is the specific word shouted as an appeal in cricket. 'How's that?' is a general question about something, not a cricket term. The other options are unrelated questions.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “howzat”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.