| 释义 |
ˈdicky-bird, dickey-bird colloq.
[dicky n. 3.]
1. a. In nursery and familiar speech: A little bird, such as a sparrow, robin, or canary-bird.
1781H. Walpole Let. 2 Jan. (1904) XI. 354 The Sphinx was a harmless dicky-bird in comparison. 1820T. Creevey Let. 23 Jan. in Creevey Papers (1903) I. xiii. 296 Lady Jersey..is like one of her numerous gold and silver musical dickey birds. a1845Barham Ingol. Leg., Knight & Lady, On tree-top and spray The dear little dickey-birds carol away. 1852R. S. Surtees Sponge's Sp. Tour lxv, Others take guns and pop at all the little dickey-birds that come in their way. a1869Kingsley in Life (1879) II. 41 Gladly would I throw up history, to think of nothing but dicky-birds. 1886J. K. Jerome Idle Thoughts 121 We do not sigh over dead dicky-birds with the bailiffs in the house.
b. Applied dial. to particular birds: see quots., and cf. dicky n. 3.
1879Cumbld. Gloss. Suppl., Dicky-bird, a general name for a canary. 1885Swainson Prov. Names Birds 188 Oyster Catcher (Hæmatopus ostrilegus). Dickie bird (Norfolk).
2. Rhyming slang for ‘word’. Also in shortened form dick(e)y.
1932‘P. P.’ Rhyming Slang 15 Word... Dicky bird. 1936‘M. Benney’ Low Company ii. 48 Didn't say a dicky bird, the poor girl didn't. 1943M. Harrison Reported Safe Arrival 61, I give yer me dicky. 1963J. Prescot Case for Hearing vii. 108 Never said a dicky-bird about doing the place myself. 1970A. Draper Swansong for Rare Bird ix. 76 George didn't say a dicky bird when I ambled in. |