Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. late 19C disgrace, punishment .

1894

Truth (Sydney) 18 Mar. 2/7: Garn! think they’d drag / Old Matt to dickey? / As lief they’d lag / Her Gracious Vicky.

2. (US) a problem, a drawback.

1949

N. Mailer letter 30 Apr. in Selected Letters (2014) 80: The dickey in the deal is that Bea can no longer travel long distances by auto.