Where "Piker" Comes From
Macquarie Dictionary defines the Australian sense as backing out or not doing your share, often at the last moment, and says the origin is uncertain — possibly from an older "pike," meaning to run away. Wiktionary notes a US gambling sense from 1899, so the word may not be uniquely Australian.
Sources: Are you a piker? (Macquarie Dictionary) · piker (Wiktionary)
“I felt like a bit of a piker leaving the barbecue before the cricket finished.”
“Come on, don't be a piker, we need one more person for the team.”
"Don't be a piker, one more drink won't kill ya."
How Aussies Actually Use It
Most often aimed, half-jokingly, at someone leaving a party or event early.
Piker is a light-hearted accusation. It is usually thrown at a friend who is bailing on the second round, ducking out of the group trip, or refusing to chip in for the last bit of the job. Said with a grin it is a nudge to stay; said flatly, it can sting, because it suggests the person lacks commitment or guts.
The word is a noun, so the natural pattern is "you piker" or "don't be a piker". You will rarely hear it about strangers, since it needs some familiarity to land as a joke. It overlaps with "wet blanket" or "party pooper" in English, but it is more about letting the group down than about spoiling the mood. Learners can also hear the adjective-style "piss-weak" in the same setting, which is much ruder. If you want to be gentle, you can turn it round and say "I'm not going to be a piker" to promise you will stick around.
See also: Piss Weak (ruder, similar sense), Sook (someone timid or whingey), Bludger (someone who doesn't pull their weight).
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