dicky

See also: Dicky

English

From dick +‎ -y (diminutive suffix).

In cover/apron senses: perhaps from English dialect dick (“leather apron”) +‎ -y; perhaps from Dutch dek (“a cover”).

dicky (plural dickies)

(colloquial) A louse.
(Cockney rhyming slang) Dicky dirt = a shirt, meaning a shirt with a collar.
A detachable shirt front, collar or bib.
(slang, dated) A hat, especially (in the US) a stiff hat or derby, and (in the UK) a straw hat.
(dated) A seat behind a carriage, for a servant.
(dated) A seat in a carriage, for the driver.
(India) The luggage storage compartment of a sedan/saloon style car.
(historical) A leather apron for a gig, etc.
A small bird; a dicky-bird.
(idiomatic, Britain, in negative constructions) An insignificant sound or thing; dicky-bird.
- 2013, Michael Dobbs, A Ghost at the Door
  Oh, she landed at Heathrow all right, like you said, but since then your Miss Ranelagh seems to have vanished as effectively as my overdue promotion. Not used her credit card, her Internet account, her mobile phone. Nothing. Not a dicky.
(Britain, military slang) A pilot.
(Britain, dialectal) A hedge sparrow.
(Britain, dialectal) A donkey.
- 1896, Augustus Jessopp, Random Roaming, and Other Papers, page 181:
  I've heard grandfather say that when Mr. Priest was at his best there was scores o' young gents as used to come to school as day-boys, 'cause there was no room for 'em to board; and they used to come on dickies […]
A haddock.

dicky (comparative dickier, superlative dickiest)

(colloquial) doubtful, troublesome; in poor condition
He had a dicky heart.

dick +‎ -y

dicky (comparative dickier, superlative dickiest)