What it means
Dicky means something’s not quite right, unreliable, or feeling off. You can have a dicky car, dicky Wi‑Fi, or a dicky stomach after last night’s kebab. It’s a mild, slightly old-school word that softens the misery, like putting a plaster on a disaster. Handy when you don’t want to swear about it.
Usage examples
"Car’s gone dicky again, and now my stomach’s joining in. I’m staying in with a brew and toast, cheers, see you tomorrow."
"My knee has been a bit dicky since the match, so I am taking the lift instead of the stairs all week."
Where it comes from
Possibly from the name Dick or from older slang for shaky and unreliable, dicky means something is not quite right and likely to pack in. A dicky knee, a dicky ticker, a dicky internet connection, all on the wobble and not to be trusted. Gentle British understatement for things quietly failing.
Other ways to say it
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