Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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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.
SKINNY, adj. As in Eng., in combs.: 1. skinny-breeks, the shell-fish, Mya arenaria (Ork. 1929 Marw.), so named from the appearance of the two siphons of the mollusc; 2. skinnymalink(ie), skineemelink (Ork. 2000s); skinama-link(ie), and reduced form skinnylinky, a thin skinny person or animal (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.), an emaciated creature. Gen.Sc. Also attrib. See Link, n., 1. (2); 3. skinny tatie, a potato boiled in its skin (wm., sm. and s.Sc. 1970).2. Ags. 1892 Brechin Advertiser (6 Sept.) 3:
Twa skinamalinks o' the genus horse.Gsw. 1904 H. Foulis Erchie iii.:
Wee skinamalink craturs dottin' up the passages in U.F. kirks carryin' the books.Edb. 1940 R. Garioch 17 Poems for 6d. 13:
An aw the time the skinnylinky copper's a' ir heels.Ork. 1952 R. T. Johnston Stenwick Days (1984) 36:
"Geud, thoo're no exactly a skineemelink," replied Mansie with a grin, "bit whit's the differ? I like a fat lass mesel."Abd. 1956 Sunday Times (22 Jan.):
There used to be a children's song in Aberdeen relating the adventures of a thin man called “Skinamalinky Lang Legs”, which is still sung as a skipping-song, etc.: Skinamalinky, lang legs Umbrella feet.wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 35:
Skinnymalinky so-ca'd flappers canny haud a caunle
Tae a real wummin lik' you, yir too hoat tae haunle.
