dick
dick Lexical Profile
dick Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A contemptible, arrogant, or obnoxious person (vulgar slang).
"He realized he had been acting like a complete dick by interrupting his colleagues during the meeting."
The human penis (vulgar slang).
"The comedian's routine relied heavily on crude anatomical humor and vulgar words like dick."
North American Nothing at all; the slightest amount (vulgar slang, usually used in negative constructions).
"Despite his confident demeanor, the new intern didn't know dick about how the legacy database operated."
North American A detective, especially a private investigator or plainclothes police officer (informal, dated).
"The classic film noir features a cynical private dick hired to track down a missing heiress."
• verb
North American To waste time or behave in an idle, aimless, or unproductive manner (vulgar slang, usually followed by 'around' or 'about').
"If we stop dicking around and focus on the blueprints, we can finish the design before Friday."
North American To treat someone unfairly, exploitatively, or dishonestly (vulgar slang, often followed by 'over' or 'around').
"The contractors felt they were being dicked around by the management company over the delayed payments."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'dick' can serve as dated, informal slang for a detective, its most prevalent contemporary meanings are vulgar or derogatory; it should be avoided in formal, academic, and professional registers.
• Rhymes for dick
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Originally a medieval rhyming pet form of the given name Richard (via Rick), which evolved in the 16th century into a generic term for any fellow or man before acquiring its various modern slang senses.