dick
- 01 C1 Advanced
n.a vulgar word for the penis.
n.the penis. Highly informal and vulgar; generally avoided in polite or professional contexts.
Simple“The comedian made a crude joke about his dick during the late-night show.”
In context“The script was heavily edited for the television broadcast to remove several explicit references to the protagonist's dick.”
UsageCountable in this sense.
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.a very rude way to describe someone who is mean, selfish, or annoying.
n.a contemptible, obnoxious, or highly unpleasant person. While traditionally applied to men, it is increasingly used as a gender-neutral insult in casual speech.
Simple“Don't be such a dick; just let him have a turn with the game.”
In context“He gained a reputation for being a total dick to his subordinates, often taking credit for their hard work during board meetings.”
UsageCountable; frequently used in the construction 'to be a dick'.
- 03 C2 Proficiency
n.absolutely nothing.
n.nothing; used for emphasis in negative constructions to indicate a total lack of something.
Simple“I worked all weekend and I got paid dick for it.”
In context“Despite the hours of testimony provided by the witnesses, the prosecution actually had dick in terms of physical evidence.”
UsageUncountable; usually follows the verb 'to have' or 'to get'.
Antonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
n.an old-fashioned word for a detective.
n.a private investigator or police detective. This usage is largely confined to mid-20th-century crime fiction and film noir.
Simple“The old movie featured a private dick wearing a trench coat and a hat.”
In context“The novel pays homage to classic noir tropes, featuring a cynical house dick who knows every secret in the hotel.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is dated; modern speakers rarely use it except when referencing old detective movies or books.
Synonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
v.to treat someone unfairly or to cheat them.
v.to mistreat, deceive, or take advantage of someone. Often used with 'around' to mean wasting someone's time.
Simple“The company really dicked him over when they cancelled his pension.”
In context“The contractor dicked us around for three months before finally admitting he hadn't even ordered the materials.”
UsageTransitive; frequently appears in the phrasal verb 'dick over' or 'dick around'.
“Jason says he wasn't motivated by swaggering alpha masculinity - "I don't subscribe to 'how big your dick is, is how big of a man you are'".”
Rhyming nickname for Rick, pet form of Richard.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.