| 释义 |
▪ I. dick, n.2 dial.
[Perh., like prec., merely an arbitrary application of the proper name Dick; but a possible connexion with Du. dek ‘covering, cover, horse-cloth’ has been suggested. Cf. dicky n. III.]
A leather apron.
1847–78Halliwell, Dick, a leather apron and bib, worn by poor children in the North. 1883Almondbury & Huddersfield Gloss., Dick, a kind of apron such as worn by shoemakers, especially a leather one, which was called a ‘leather dick’. 1888Sheffield Gloss., Dick, a leather apron for children.
▪ II. dick, n.3 dial.
[Cf. dike and ditch.]
a. A ditch.
b. The bank of a ditch; a dike.
1736Pegge Kenticisms, Dick, a ditch. 1787Marshall E. Norfolk, Gloss., Dick, the mound or bank of a ditch. 1875Sussex Gloss., Dick, a ditch. 1893Field 25 Feb. 295/1 Most fences should be on banks with ‘dicks’ where the ground requires them.
▪ III. dick, n.4 slang.
Abbreviation of dictionary; hence, ‘Fine language, long words’ (Slang Dict.).
1860Haliburton (Sam Slick) Season Ticket xii. (Farmer), Ah, now you are talking ‘Dic.’, exclaimed Peabody, and I can't follow you. 1873Slang Dict. s.v., A man who uses fine words without much judgment is said to have ‘swallowed the dick’.
▪ IV. dick, n.5 slang.
[Short for declaration: cf. davy for affidavit.]
In phr. to take one's dick = to take one's declaration.
1861D. Cook P. Foster's Dau. xxvi. (Farmer), I'd take my dying dick he hasn't got a writ in his pocket. 1878Yates Wrecked in Port I. 1 I'll take my dick I heard old Osborne say so!
¶ To this (in the commercial sense of ‘declaration’ as to the value of goods) is perhaps to be referred the vulgar phrase up to dick: as adj. up to the proper standard, excellent, ‘proper’; as adv. properly, suitably, fittingly.
(It has however been referred by some to dick n.4)
1871Daily News 7 Sept., The capital of the West is up to dick in the matter of lunches. 1877J. Greenwood Blue Blanket (Farmer), ‘Ain't that up to dick, my biffin?’ 1877Punch 10 Sept. 111/1.
▪ V. dick, n.6 slang.
[? Arbitrary contraction of detective n.]
A detective; a policeman.
1908J. M. Sullivan Crim. Slang. 8 Dick, a cop, detective (Canadian slang). 1912A. H. Lewis Apaches of N.Y. 95 Still, those plain-clothes dicks did not despair. 1924Amer. Speech I. 151/2 ‘Dick’ and ‘bull’ and ‘John Law’ have become established as names for the police. 1928E. Wallace Gunner xxix. 234 They'd persuaded a couple of dicks—detectives—to watch the barriers. 1956J. D. Carr P. Butler for Defence xiii. 140 Plain-clothes C.I.D. men..are currently known as bogeys, busies, dicks, and scotches. |