dick

[dik] /dɪk/
noun, Slang.
1.
a detective.
2.
Vulgar. penis.
Origin
1545-55; generic use of the proper name

Dick

[dik] /dɪk/
noun
1.
George Frederick, 1881–1967, U.S. internist.
2.
Philip K. 1928–82, U.S. science-fiction writer.
3.
a male given name, form of Richard.

Fosbury

[foz-buh-ree] /ˈfɒz bə ri/
noun
1.
Richard D ("Dick") born 1947, U.S. athlete: developed “Fosbury flop” high jump style.

Turpin

[tur-pin] /ˈtɜr pɪn/
noun
1.
Ben, 1874–1940, U.S. silent-film comedian.
2.
Richard ("Dick") 1706–39, English highwayman.

Whittington

[hwit-ing-tuh n, wit-] /ˈʰwɪt ɪŋ tən, ˈwɪt-/
noun
1.
Richard ("Dick") 1358?–1423, English merchant and philanthropist: Lord Mayor of London 1398, 1406–07, 1419–20.

Button

[buht-n] /ˈbʌt n/
noun
1.
Richard Totten
[tot-n] /ˈtɒt n/ (Show IPA), ("Dick") born 1929, U.S. figure skater.

Cheney

[chey-nee, chee‐] /ˈtʃeɪ ni, ˈtʃi‐/
noun
1.
Richard ("Dick") born 1941, U.S. politician: secretary of defense 1989–93; vice president of the U.S. 2001–09.
British Dictionary definitions for dick

dick1

/dɪk/
noun
1.
(mainly US) a slang word for detective
Word Origin
C20: by shortening and alteration from detective; probably influenced by proper name Dick

dick2

/dɪk/
noun (slang)
1.
(Brit) a fellow or person
2.
(Brit) clever dick, a person who is obnoxiously opinionated or self-satisfied; know-all
3.
a slang word for penis
Usage note
The third sense of this word was formerly considered to be taboo and it was labelled as such in previous editions of Collins English Dictionary. However, it has now become acceptable in speech, although some older or more conservative people may object to its use
Word Origin
C16 (meaning: fellow): from the name Dick, familiar form of Richard, applied generally (like Jack) to any fellow, lad, etc; hence, C19: penis

button

/ˈbʌtən/
noun
1.
a disc or knob of plastic, wood, etc, attached to a garment, etc, usually for fastening two surfaces together by passing it through a buttonhole or loop
2.
a small round object, such as any of various sweets, decorations, or badges
3.
a small disc that completes an electric circuit when pushed, as one that operates a doorbell or machine
4.
a symbolic representation of a button on the screen of a computer that is notionally depressed by manipulating the mouse to initiate an action
5.
(biology) any rounded knoblike part or organ, such as an unripe mushroom
6.
(fencing) the protective knob fixed to the point of a foil
7.
a small amount of metal, usually lead, with which gold or silver is fused, thus concentrating it during assaying
8.
the piece of a weld that pulls out during the destructive testing of spot welds
9.
(rowing) a projection around the loom of an oar that prevents it slipping through the rowlock
10.
(Brit) an object of no value (esp in the phrase not worth a button)
11.
(slang) intellect; mental capacity (in such phrases as a button short, to have all one's buttons, etc)
12.
(informal) on the button, exactly; precisely
verb
13.
to fasten with a button or buttons
14.
(transitive) to provide with buttons
15.
(transitive) (fencing) to hit (an opponent) with the button of one's foil
16.
button one's lip, button up one's lip, button one's mouth, button up one's mouth, to stop talking: often imperative
See also buttons, button up
Derived Forms
buttoner, noun
buttonless, adjective
buttony, adjective
Word Origin
C14: from Old French boton, from boter to thrust, butt, of Germanic origin; see butt³

Cheney

/ˈtʃeɪnɪ/
noun
1.
Richard B(ruce), known as Dick. born 1941, US Republican politician; vice-president from 2001 to 2009

Turpin

/ˈtɜːpɪn/
noun
1.
Dick. 1706–39, English highwayman

Whittington

/ˈwɪtɪŋtən/
noun
1.
Richard, known as Dick. died 1423, English merchant, three times mayor of London. According to legend, he walked to London at the age of 13 with his cat and was prevented from leaving again only by the call of the church bells
Word Origin and History for dick
n.

"fellow, lad, man," 1550s, rhyming nickname for Rick, short for Richard, one of the commonest English names, it has long been a synonym for "fellow," and so most of the slang senses are probably very old, but naturally hard to find in the surviving records. The meaning "penis" is attested from 1891 in Farmer's slang dictionary (possibly British army slang). Meaning "detective" is recorded from 1908, perhaps as a shortened variant of detective.

button

n.

c.1300 (surname Botouner "button-maker" attested from mid-13c.), from Old French boton "a button," originally "a bud" (12c., Modern French bouton), from bouter, boter "to thrust," common Romanic (cf. Spanish boton, Italian bottone), ultimately from Germanic (see butt (v.)). Thus a button is, etymologically, something that pushes up, or thrusts out.

Meaning "point of the chin" is pugilistic slang, by 1921. A button as something you push to create an effect by closing an (electrical) circuit is attested from 1840s. Button-pusher as "deliberately annoying or provocative person" is attested by 1990 (in reference to Bill Gates, in "InfoWorld" magazine, Nov. 19). In the 1980s it meant "photographer."

v.

late 14c., "to furnish with buttons;" early 15c., "to fasten with buttons" (of a garment,) from button (n.) or from Old French botoner (Modern French boutonner), from boton (n.). Related: Buttoned; buttoning. Button-down (adj.) in reference to shirt collars is from 1916.

dick in Medicine

button but·ton (bŭt'n)
n.
A knob-like structure, device, or lesion.

dick in Science
Dick
  (dĭk)   
American medical researcher who collaborated with his wife, Gladys Henry Dick (1881-1963), to isolate the bacterium that causes scarlet fever. They developed a serum for the disease in 1923.
Slang definitions & phrases for dick

dick 1

noun
  1. A detective
  2. Any police officer; bull

[1908+; fr a shortening and altering of detective]


dick 2

noun
  1. The penis: Now why don't you pull the weight down with your dick (1880s+ British armed forces)
  2. A despised person; prick: You dick! (1960s+)
  3. Nothing; squat, zilch, zippo: So far we got dick/ Look, I didn't have any money, the Feds wouldn't do dick, nobody was helping out (1950s+)
verb
  1. To do the sex act with; screw: If he went and dicked your twelveyear-old sister he wouldn't tell you all about it/ He was dicking everything that wiggled (1940s+)
  2. (also dick around) To potter or meddle; play; mess, screw around: That's federal merchandise you're dicking with, right, marshal?/ still in the kitchen, dicking around with the sushi (1940s+)
Related Terms

clipped dick, does a wooden horse have a hickory dick, donkey dick, limp-dick, step on it

[perhaps fr the nickname Dick, an instance of the widespread use of affectionate names for the genitals; perhaps fr earlier British derrick, ''penis''; perhaps fr a dialect survival of Middle English dighten, ''do the sex act with,'' in a locution like ''he dight her,'' which would be pronounced ''he dicked her'']


Dick

Related Terms

big dick, every tom* dick* and harry


button

noun
  1. The chin; point of the chin: I got clipped square on the button (1920+)
  2. The clitoris; clit (1870s+)
  3. A small quantity of a narcotic: There exists some traffic, however, in ''buttons,'' or small amounts (1960s+ Narcotics)
  4. The rounded top of the peyote plant (1960s+ Narcotics)
  5. A police officer's badge; potsy, tin (1920s+)
  6. (also buttons) A police officer •Blue and buttons was used of the police (1900+)
noun phrase

7 (also button man or button player or button soldier) A low-ranking member of the Mafia; soldier (1960s+ Underworld)

Related Terms

belly button, chicken switch, hit the panic button, on the button


Idioms and Phrases with dick

Dick

see: every tom, dick, and harry

button

also see: