• SKEFF
n. a confidence swindle …1975 Trinidad and Tobago
• SKEFFINGTON’S DAUGHTER
n. an instrument of torture, consisting of a broad iron hoop, which was locked around the prisoner’s body, compressing it unnaturally to such an extent that the victim was effectively squeezed to death …M16
• SKEG
n. 1. an attack made for the sake of plunder; a petty raid …1542 obs.
n. 2. the stump of a branch …1625 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
n. 3. a rent in a piece of cloth, such as would be made by a stump of a branch …1839 Eng. dial.
n. 4. a fin on a surfboard …1962 US sl.
n. 5. a surfer …1985 Aust. sl.
n. 6. a smelly vagrant or one who resembles such a person …2000s sl.
n. 7. a member of a subcultural social grouping of pubescent or adolescent girls …2001 Irish sl.
vb. to tear jaggedly or as with a snag …1890 Eng. dial.
• SKEG-FIRST
adv. while surfing: said of the beginning of a ride with the tail of the surfboard pointing towards shore …1988 US sl.
• SKEGGER
n. a young salmon …1653
• SKEGGY
adj. unpleasant, disgusting; the implication is of rotting or faecal matter …1990s sl.
n. a smelly vagrant or one who resembles such a person …2000s sl.
• SKEGHEAD
n. a surfer …1988 Aust. sl.
• SKEIGH
adj. 1. of horses: inclined to shy; skittish, spirited, mettlesome …1508 Sc.
adj. 2. of persons, esp. women: shy, coy, disdainful, proud …c1560 Sc.
adv. proudly, disdainfully …1792 Sc.
vb. of a horse: to shy, to startle …1513 Sc.
• SKEIGHISH
adj. of a horse: somewhat skittish …1827 Sc.
• SKEIN
n. 1. a flight of wild fowl …1851
n. 2. a bed …1920s rhyming sl. (skein of thread)
• SKEIN OF THREAD
n. a bed …1920s rhyming sl.
• SKEL
n. a vagrant, esp. of the thuggish sort …1957 US sl.
• SKELDER
vb. 1. to beg; to live by begging, esp. by passing oneself off as a wounded or disbanded soldier …1601 cant obs. exc. arch.
vb. 2. to swindle, to cheat, to defraud a person; also, to obtain money by cheating …1601 cant obs. exc. arch.
• SKELDERING
adj. begging, sponging, swindling …1601 cant obs. exc. arch.
• SKELE
n. a dish or platter …a1300 obs. rare
• SKELET
n. 1. a skeleton …1565 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
n. 2. a mummy …1603 obs. rare
• SKELETON
n. 1. a very thin, lean, or emaciated person or animal …1629
n. 2. a skull …1936 Amer. dial.
• SKELETON ARMY
n. street-fighters …L19 sl.
• A SKELETON AT THE BANQUET
n. a reminder of serious or saddening things in the midst of enjoyment; a source of gloom or depression …1893
• A SKELETON AT THE FEAST
n. a reminder of saddening or serious things in the midst of enjoyment; a source of gloom or depression …1857
• SKELETONESS
n. a very thin, lean, or emaciated woman …1840 nonce word
• SKELETONIAN
adj. resembling a skeleton; lean, thin …1801 rare
• A SKELETON IN THE CLOSET
n. a secret source of shame or pain to a family or person …1855
• A SKELETON IN THE CUPBOARD
n. a secret source of shame or pain to a family or person …1859
• SKELETONLY
adv. like a skeleton …1847 rare
• SKELETON ORCHARD
n. a cemetery …1966 Amer. dial.
• SKELETON PARK
n. a cemetery …1936 Amer. dial.
• SKELETONTAL
adj. skeleton-like …1651 obs. rare
• SKELETONY
adj. skeleton-like …1852
• SKELETON YARD
n. a cemetery …1966 Amer. dial.
• SKELF
n. a shelf …1396-7 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
• SKELL
n. 1. a shell …c1330 N. Eng. dial. rare
n. 2. a homeless person; a villain, a rogue, esp. a vagrant who lives on the streets; a street derelict who may be a villain …1957 US sl.
• SKELLACH
n. a small bell …1653 Sc.
• SKELLAT
n. 1. a small bell; a hand-bell, used for ecclesiastical purposes, or by a bellman …1398-9 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. rare
n. 2. a scolding, railing woman; an ill-natured, shrewish woman …1810 Sc.
• SKELLER
vb. to cause to warp, twist, shrivel, or blister, esp. with heat …1691 N. Eng. dial.
• SKELLER-EYED
adj. cross-eyed …1927 Amer. dial.
• SKELLIED
adj. squint-eyed; squinting …1821 Sc.
• SKELLOCH
n. a shrill cry; a scream, a shriek …1808 Sc.
vb. to shriek; to yell; to resound shrilly …1808 Sc.
• SKELLOCK
n. a shrill cry; a scream, a shriek …1808 Sc.
vb. to shriek; to yell; to resound shrilly …1808 Sc.
• SKELLOW
vb. to warp, twist, shrivel, or blister, as with heat …1888 Eng. dial.
• SKELLUM
n. a rascal, a scamp, a rogue, a scoundrel, a villain …1611 arch.
• SKELLY
n. 1. a rock, a skerry …1513 Sc. obs.
n. 2. a glance, a look …20C Irish
n. 3. a skeleton …2000s sl.
vb. to squint …1776 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
• SKELLYING
n. looking …20C Irish
• SKELM
adj. fake, counterfeit …20C S. Afr. criminals’ sl.
n. a rascal, a scamp, a rogue, a scoundrel, a villain …1611 arch.
vb. to do something in an underhand way …20C S. Afr. criminals’ sl.
• SKELP
adv. quickly and violently; suddenly
n. 1. a blow, esp. one given with the flat of the hand, or with something having a flat surface; a slap, a smack; also, the noise made by such a blow …c1440 chiefly Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
n. 2. a push or slap
n. 3. heavy rain
vb. 1. to strike, to beat, to slap, to smack, in later use, spec. on the breech …a1400-50 chiefly Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
vb. 2. to skip, trip, walk, or run rapidly; to hurry …1721
vb. 3. to kick violently …a1825 Eng. dial.
vb. 4. to write or perform in a lively manner
• SKELPER
n. 1. one who slaps or smacks …1790 Eng. dial.
n. 2. a large thing of any kind …1790 Eng. dial.
n. 3. a tall, lanky person …1854 Eng. dial.
• SKELPIE-LIMMER
n. a jade, a hussy; an impudent girl or woman …1785 Sc.
• SKELPING
adj. 1. swift …1607 Eng. dial.
adj. 2. big, large, stout, lusty …1785 Eng. dial.
n. a blow struck with something flat; a slap, a smack …1818 Eng. dial.
• SKELT
vb. to hasten; to be diligent …a1300 obs.
• SKELTER
vb. to dash along, to hurry, to rush, to scurry …1852
• SKELTER AWAY
vb. to depart hurriedly …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• SKELTER-HELTER
adj. disorderly; in confusion …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• SKELTER OFF
vb. to depart hurriedly …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• SKELVY
adj. full of shelves or ledges …1787 Sc.
• SKEMLER
n. a parasite, a sponger, one who scrounges his meals from others …1721 Sc. obs.
• SKEN
vb. to squint; to give a side look; to glance …1611 Eng. dial.
• SKENG
n. a ghetto weapon, as a gun or a ratchet-knife …1970s W. Indies & Black British sl.
• SKENNINGLY
adv. with a squint, squintingly, askew …1611 rare
• SKENT
vb. to entertain, to amuse …a1250 obs.
• SKENTING
n. entertainment …c1200 obs.
• SKEP
n. 1. a basket or hamper, varying in form and use in different localities …a1300
n. 2. a beehive …1494
vb. to cause to enter a skep (beehive) …1825
• SKEPSEL
n. a Black or Coloured person …1844 S. Afr., derogatory or offensive
• SKERCHE
adj. scarce …1500-20 Sc. obs.
• SKERE
adj. 1. free from injury, harm, or molestation; unhurt, unmolested …a1225 obs.
adj. 2. pure, purified; cleansed or free from sin or guilt …a1225 obs.
adj. 3. destitute, devoid, of something …c1250 obs.
adv. quite, entirely; altogether …a1225 obs.
vb. 1. to free a person from blame or accusation; to acquit one of a penalty or charge, to clear, to exculpate …a1225 obs.
vb. 2. to defend or save oneself …1390 obs.
• SKERRICK
n. 1. a halfpenny …E19, chiefly Aust. & NZ usage
n. 2. a small amount of something …1854 Aust. sl.
• SKERRY
n. 1. a small boat …1540-1 obs.
n. 2. a rugged insulated sea-rock or stretch of rocks, covered by the sea at high water or in stormy weather; a reef …1612
n. 3. a shadow, reflection …1899 Sc.
• SKERTH
n. a small watercourse …1851 Eng. dial.
• SKET
n. a promiscuous girl …2000s Black British teen sl., derogatory
• SKETCH
adj. 1. risky, dangerous …1970s US students’ sl.
adj. 2. suspicious, threatening …2003 US sl.
n. 1. a very small quantity; a single drop …1894 sl.
n. 2. one who is an object of ridicule …1917 sl.
n. 3. a ridiculous or amusing person or sight …20C sl.
n. 4. one who looks or feels confused, unstable, or odd …1980s US students’ sl.
n. 5. methamphetamine …1980s US drug culture sl.
n. 6. a term of endearment for someone …1997 Irish sl.
n. 7. a look at, a view of …2000s Sc.
n. 8. the rules, the situation …2000s sl.
vb. to slash with a knife or other edged weapon …1980s Black British sl.
• SKETCHBALL
n. one who looks or feels confused, unstable, or odd …1980s US students’ sl.
• SKETCHED
adj. 1. bad, bizarre, weird …1980s US students’ sl.
adj. 2. suffering paranoia due to the effects of hallucinogenic or other drugs, as cocaine …1980s US drug culture sl.
• SKETCHED OUT
adj. 1. bad, bizarre, weird …1980s US students’ sl.
adj. 2. suffering paranoia due to the effects of hallucinogenic or other drugs, as cocaine …1980s US drug culture sl.
• SKETCHER
n. 1. a skate …1790 Sc.
n. 2. one who looks or feels confused, unstable, or odd …1980s US students’ sl.
• SKETCHING
n. coming down from a drug-induced high …1980s US drug culture sl.
• SKETCHLEY’S AERIAL
n. a wire coat-hanger used as a makeshift aerial for a car radio after the proper one has been broken …20C Brit. sl.
• SKETCH OF ICE
n. a thin layer of ice …1968 Amer. dial.
• SKETCH OF TIME
n. a short period of time …1968 Amer. dial.
• SKETCH OVER
vb. to skim a piece of reading matter …1893 Amer. dial.
• SKETCHY
adj. 1. L19 sl. – flimsy, insubstantial, vague
adj. 2. 1980s US students’ sl. – confused, unstable, strange, unsettling
adj. 3. 1990s US students’ sl. – second-rate
adj. 4. 1990s US students’ sl. – untrustworthy, suspicious
n. 2000 UK sl. – an odd or weird person
• SKETEL(L)
n. 1990s sl. – a promiscuous woman, or one who is judged as such
• SKETS
n. 1990s sl. – a promiscuous woman, or one who is judged as such
• SKEVIN
n. 1389 obs. – a steward of a gild
• SKEW
adj. 1. 1607 obs. – distorted, perverted; macaronic
adj. 2. 1609 – turned to one side, slanting, squint
adv. 1706 rare – obliquely, askew
n. 1. a1300 obs. – the sky or heaven
n. 2. 1561 cant obs. – a cup; a wooden dish
n. 3. 1622 obs. – a side glance
n. 4. 1688 – a slant; a deviation from the straight line; a sideward movement
n. 5. 1839 Eng. dial. – a drizzling rain; a driving mist
n. 6. 1869 – a slip, an error
n. 7. M19 back-slang – weeks
vb. 1. c1400 obs. – to become overcast
vb. 2. a1400 obs. – to escape, to slip away
vb. 3. 1577 obs. – to turn the eyes sidewards
vb. 4. 1824 Eng. dial. – to throw, to hurl, to cast, to fling
vb. 5. 1842 – to have the vision obstructed by mist
• SKEWAGGY
adj. 1950 Amer. dial. – twisted, askew, crooked
• SKEWBALD
adj. of animals, esp. horses: irregularly marked with white and brown or red, or some similar colour …1654
n. a horse irregularly marked with white and brown or red …1863
• SKEW-BALLED
adj. twisted, askew, crooked …1966 Amer. dial.
• SKEWED
adj. 1. of animals, esp. horses; skewbald: irregularly marked with white and brown or red, or some similar colour …c1440
adj. 2. set obliquely or aslant; askew …1611
• SKEWER
n. 1. a term of contempt for a sharp weapon …1838
n. 2. a sword …M19 sl.
n. 3. a pen …L19 sl.
vb. to run through with a sword or other weapon …1837
• SKEW-FISTED
adj. awkward, ungainly …L17
• SKEW-GAWED
adj. twisted, askew, crooked …1950 Amer. dial.
• SKEWGEE
adj. 1. askew, squinting, crooked …L19
adj. 2. disorderly, messy, mixed up, confused …1893 Amer. sl.
adj. 3. fine, correct, as it should be, all right …1896 Amer. dial.
n. 1. a squint …L19 sl.
n. 2. an error; a mistake; a blunder …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• SKEW-GEED
adj. twisted, askew, diagonal …1896 Amer. dial.
• SKEW-GODLIN
adj. askew, crooked …1967 Amer. dial.
• SKEW-HAW
adj. askew, crooked …1923 Amer. dial.
• SKEWINESS
n. the quality of being askew or awry …1862 Amer. dial.
• SKEWING
adj. askew, awry …1896 Amer. dial.
• SKEWINGS
n. extras, bonuses; any form of money, esp. when gained for nothing …M19 sl.
• SKEWJAW
adj. twisted, askew, diagonal …1905 Amer. dial.
• SKEW-JAWED
adj. awkward, ungainly …M19 US sl.
• SKEWLY
adv. obliquely, askew …1896 rare
• SKEWNESS
n. inclination to one side …1894
• SKEW-RAW
adj. askew, crooked …1896 Amer. dial.
• SKEWS
n. the skies, heavens, or clouds …c1320 obs.
• SKEW-SHY
adj. twisted, askew, crooked …1966 Amer. dial.
• SKEWVEE
adj. fine, correct, as it should be, all right …1892 Amer. dial.
• SKEWVOW
adj. askew, out of true, crooked …L18 sl.
• SKEW-WAMPUS
adj. askew, crooked …1942 Amer. dial.
• SKEW-WHIFF
adj. 1. awry, askew; crooked, twisted, aslant …1754 UK sl.
adj. 2. drunk …20C Brit. sl.
• SKEW-WHIFFY
adj. drunk …1900s sl.
• SKEW-WIFF
adj. askew, crooked, awry …1966 Amer. dial.
• SKEW-WOGGLY
adj. twisted, askew, crooked …1905 Amer. dial.
• SKEW-WOTTEMUS
adj. twisted, askew, crooked …1905 Amer. dial.
• SKEWY
adj. askew, awry …1940 Amer. dial.
• SKEW-YANK
adj. twisted, askew, crooked …2001 Amer. dial.
• SKEY
adj. of a horse: skittish …c1440 obs.
vb. 1. to get clear, to sheer off …c1470 Sc. obs. rare
vb. 2. to startle, to come upon suddenly …1539 Sc. obs. rare
• SKEZAG
n. heroin …1970s drug culture sl.
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