Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Skerry, -ie, -é, n. Also: skeray, skarré, skarey, scairré. [ON sker an isolated rock in the sea. Cf. Skelly n.] A skerry, reef or rocky islet.Freq. found as an element in place-names, esp. in Orkney and Shetland. 1543 Shetland Deed MS (Shetland Archives).
viii merkis land lyand in the Skarreis in ane tune callyt Stoyf ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 88.
Towards the west of this ile lyis ane ile callit Swilskeray 1567 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I 560.
The infeftment … of … the erldome … of Orknay … with the … skerreis, quylandis, outbrekkis [etc.] 1589 Reg. Great S. 565/2.
Insulas, lie holmes, (scairreis) 1592 (1610) Reg. Great S. 90/1.
Ane skerrie callit Carlingskerrie [at Orphir, Orkney] ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 58.
Narrest this at the said schoir lyis ane little ile callit Corsker, callit in English the stay skeray [1818 skarey] or craig 1600 Reg. Great S. 338/2.
Skarreis 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 44.
To all utheris quha hes holmis and skerreis within the contrie 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 51.
Twa barrellis pick cassin in about the bankis of the Skerreis 1615 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bks. 108.
For airt pairt and thifteous steilling and rouing aff the woll of seven sheip in ane out skerrie at Moussay 1633 (1711) Sibbald's Orkn. & Shetl. 33.
Skerries, ragged rocks 1655 Retours I Inq. Spec. Orkney et Shetland (69).
The skerrie callit Selchskerrie 1698 Retours II Inq. Spec. Orkney et Shetland (156).
3 denariatis terrarum vocatarum Howar et Harg, cum lie Skerry 1701 Brand Orkney & Shetl. 92.
From Whalsey to the east lies the Skerries, several broken isles 1701 Brand Orkney & Shetl. 94.
The Lyra-skerries, so called because … these fat fowls … do frequent this skerrie