dickey
1
[
dik
-ee]
/ˈdɪk i/
noun
,
plural
dickeys.
1.
an article of clothing made to look like the front or collar of a shirt, blouse, vest, etc., worn as a separate piece under another garment, as a jacket or dress.
Compare
vest
(def 2),
vestee
.
2.
a detachable linen shirt collar.
3.
a bib or pinafore worn by a child.
4.
a small bird.
5.
a donkey, especially a male.
6.
an outside seat on a carriage.
7.
British,
rumble seat
(def 1).
Also,
dicky
,
dickie
.
Origin
1745-55;
generic use of
Dicky,
diminutive of
Dick,
proper name
dickey
2
[
dik
-ee]
/ˈdɪk i/
adjective
,
Chiefly British Slang.
1.
not working properly; faulty:
I'm fed up with this dickey air conditioner.
Origin
1805-15;
origin uncertain
Dickey
[
dik
-ee]
/ˈdɪk i/
noun
1.
James,
1923–97,
U.S. poet and novelist.
2.
William
(
"Bill"
)
1907–93,
U.S. baseball player.
British Dictionary definitions for
dickey
dicky
1
/
ˈdɪkɪ
/
noun
(
pl
)
dickies,
dickeys
1.
a woman's false blouse front, worn to fill in the neck of a jacket or low-cut dress
2.
a man's false shirt front, esp one worn with full evening dress
3.
(
Brit
)
Also called
dicky bow.
a bow tie
4.
(
mainly Brit
) an informal name for a donkey, esp a male one
5.
Also called
dickybird,
dickeybird.
a child's word for a bird, esp a small one
6.
a folding outside seat at the rear of some early cars
US and Canadian name
rumble seat
7.
(
Indian
)
Also called
boot.
an enclosed compartment of a car for holding luggage, etc, usually at the rear
Word Origin
C18 (in the senses: donkey, shirt front): from
Dickey,
diminutive of
Dick
(name); the relationship of the various senses is obscure
dicky
2
/
ˈdɪkɪ
/
adjective
dickier,
dickiest
1.
(
Brit
,
informal
) in bad condition; shaky, unsteady, or unreliable:
I feel a bit dicky today
Word Origin
C18: perhaps from the name
Dick
in the phrase
as queer as Dick's hatband
feeling ill