British English Slang – Dicky bow (also spelled dickie bow or dickey bow).
Meaning (noun) – A bow tie. A bow tie is a necktie tied in the shape of a bow with two loops.
The term is often linked to Cockney rhyming slang: dicky may come from dicky dirt, rhyming slang for shirt. A bow tie is a bow on your shirt – a dicky bow! It’s friendly and a little old-fashioned, and often used with a touch of humour.
Cockney Rhyming Slang – More Examples:
- Apples and pears – stairs
- Dog and bone – phone
When Do People Wear a Dicky Bow?
Bow ties are formal wear and are usually worn with a dinner jacket. A dinner jacket (British English) or tuxedo (American English) is an evening suit worn at weddings, balls, proms and other formal occasions. Don’t forget some smart black kicks (slang – shoes)!
You’ll probably need a dicky bow at a black tie event – a formal occasion such as a gala dinner, an awards ceremony or a night at the opera.
Example:
- “I’ve bought myself a dapper dicky bow for Tracy’s wedding next month. I can’t wait to try it on!”
In the News
Spotted in the newsIrish Goodbye actor on his Oscars outfit: “…hopefully a nice dicky bow and a nice shirt of mine, it’ll go down a treat hopefully.”uk.movies.yahoo.comWhat is slang?
Slang is very informal language. It’s usually spoken rather than written, and is often used by a particular group of people or in a particular place. Slang changes over time, and using it well is a great way to sound more natural when speaking English.
Frequently Asked Questions
British slang for a bow tie.
It means formal evening dress – for men, usually a dinner jacket (tuxedo) and a bow tie.
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