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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Scab, Skab, n. Also: skabb(e, scabe, skap; schabe. [ME and e.m.E. scab (c1250), schabbe (c1290), scabbe (Chaucer), shab (Wyclif), skabe (1538), OE sceabb, ON *skabbr.]

1. (The) scab, one or other of a variety of skin diseases affecting animals, esp. horses or sheep. Also pl. and fig.Quots. Exch. R. and Carnwath Baron Ct. may properly belong to 3 below.(a) 1499 Exch. R. XI 393.
The punctis to be inquirit at the inqueist. Scab, waitht, lippir, pikry. Thir ar the iiij hed punctis 1528 Carnwath Baron Ct. (SHS) 73.
To the inqueist scab vayth & leipare for pykre and the presentis of heid court 1536 Ib. 186.
My lord gart put in to his heid court skap lypyr and waith, the inquest fyndis nane 1552 Elgin Rec. I 114.
That the said fille deit in the scab 1568 Inverness Rec. I 163.
The … horse was foull of the scab 1573–4 Glasgow B. Rec. I 1.
Conforme to the auld statutis maid anent scab and fairsy 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 172/1121.
The sheepe doth feare the skab 1635 Cramond Cullen Ann. 39.
All hors and meares having the mortiecheane or scab to be removit out of the town 1664 Rec. Old Aberd. I 105. 1701 Rothesay Par. Rec. 140.
The scab was rageing in that countrey … which made him … greatlie afraid he might … endanger his masters horses 1531 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 117.
The inqueist fyndis that the hors that David Brydin sauld to Thome Ker vas infekit with schabe and unabyllpl. 1533 Bell. Livy II 93/27.
The falt of … watteris did sic dammage to [the] beistis that infinite nowmer thareof grew first full of scabbis [L. scabie], and sone eftir deit of thristfig. 1562-3 Winȝet II 30/11.
Lest the contagious scab of ane scheip … mot smit the hail innocent flok of Christe

2. a. A pock or pustule. b. sing. and pl. A skin disease in which the skin breaks out in pustules or becomes scaly; scabies; ? syphilis. c. One of the plagues of Egypt, ? = b above.Quot. Hay Alex. may be an instance of a rather than b.a. c1520-c1535 Nisbet III 318/14.
Ewin as anne ewill skabbe or anne poke cann not alwayis be keipit in with the violence of medicynne 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 12.
Thois men are maist subiecte to the pest … without thay be euacuat be opining of ane vaine … or sic corruptioun expellit be scabe or hulcer, quhilk is leist sure preseruativeb. 1460 Hay Alex. 12289.
He brekis out of scabis all his bodie 1580 Skeyne Descr. Well Sig. A4.
& … it perfytlie cuiris (being drunkin) the exteriour scabbis, wyldefyre, darteris & vther filthines of the skyn a1605 Montg. Flyt. 94 (T).
That scab that ȝe beir will scall thé to the schoulderis Ib. 305.
The mischief on thy melt & maw The scabbis and the canker 1643 Rec. Old Aberd. I 72.
God nor he die in the skab and glengon as his brother … did a1686 Turner Mem. 116.
I stayd a month in that toune, partlie to … cure myself of … the ich or scabc. c1420 Wynt. ii 578.
Fyrst thare wattyre turnyt in blude … Syne in thare bleddyris boldnyt bylys, And alkyn bruke and scab that vyle is

3. The hard crust, or scab, that forms over a wound or sore. Also fig. 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 188/1411.
The flatterer ay The owne skabb clawes [etc.] 1629 Boyd Last B. 102.
Like a flee, happing from scab to scabfig. 1691 Continuation Historical Relation Late General Assembly 45.
The Moderator … said, man, take off the scab of the wamb of it, … for so … he called the king's seal upon it