Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a word; thus not a dicky-bird, lit. ‘not a word’, i.e. nothing at all.

1932		‘P.P.’ Rhy. Sl.
1937		J. Curtis You’re in the Racket, Too 214: I never said a dicky-bird.
1943		M. Harrison Reported Safe Arrival 50: I wz ’avin’ a dicky-bird wiv one er the stooards.
1953		B. Behan Scarperer (1966) 67: You don’t say one dicky-bird to her.
1958		(con. 1940s) B. Behan Borstal Boy 199: We won’t say a dicky-bird.
1961		T. Taylor Baron’s Court All Change (2011) 37: She lay there not saying a dicky-bird.
1962		F. Norman Guntz 5: They didn’t say a dicky-bird to me nor me to them.
1979		F. Norman Too Many Crooks Spoil the Caper 17: But ’e ain’t nevva said a dicky bird about you, Ed.
1983		J. Byrell (con. 1959) Up the Cross 49: Through it all, nobody said a dickie bird.
1983		S. May No Exceptions in Best Radio Plays (1984) 128: ‘You’re not leaving this office until you tell me what’s the matter.’ Never said a word. Not a dicky bird.
1996		J. Byrell Lairs, Urgers & Coat-Tuggers 66: Lady Cynthia [...] zapped him with her zillion-dollar smile and let them through without as much as one dickybird.
1997		(con. 1960s) A. Frewin London Blues 259: I checked through [the papers] a column-inch at a time. Nothing. Not a dicky-bird.
1999		J. Cameron Brown Bread in Wengen [ebook] TT never turned round and said a dicky.
2000		J.J. Connolly Layer Cake 121: This geezer ain’t said a dickey-bird all the way.
2005		P. Howard Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightdress 122: She hasn’t heard a dickie-bird from me.
2011		J.J. Connolly Viva La Madness 423: Raul [...] hasn’t said a dickie-bird all day.