Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SCLY, v., n. Also scloy, skl(o)y and freq. forms sklire, sklyre. [sklɑe]

I. v. To slide, slither, skate, as on ice (s.Sc. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl.; Lth., Dmf. 1808 Jam., sklyre; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 422, scl(o)y; Slk. 1825 Jam., skley; Rxb. 1942 Zai; Peb., Lnk., s.Sc. 1969). See also Sly.Dmf. 1830 R. Broun Mem. Curl. Mab. 78:
We twa hae sklired on the ice.Dmf. 1903 J. L. Waugh Thornhill 123:
Half-“skloyin”, half-walking.

II. n. A slide, a strip of ice for skating on (Lth., Dmf. 1808 Jam. sklyre; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 422; Dmf. 1894 Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 155; Peb., Lnk., s.Sc. 1969); a turn at skating (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Edb. 1829 G. Wilson Sc. Laverock 124:
Thir streets are a' sae fu' o' scloys.Slk. 1893 R. Hall Schools 24:
During the winter months there used to be “sclys” almost everywhere.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 14:
Sic a byordnar grand bit for a sledge-skly or a yoke-a-tuillie!