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.
Skitter, Skytter, n. [Skitter v.]
1. Thin excrement. Also pl. Also, with raw, as compound adj.(1) a1663 Pappity Stampoy 11.
A spoon full of skytter spills a pot full of skins 1692 Presb. Eloq. (ed. 2) 86.
Your tongues … are as foul as a dog's tongue when he licks skitterpl. 1657 R. Moray Lett. fol. 61.
Yea! and is even skitters beginning to skowp?(2) 1692 Presb. Eloq. (1694) 69.
I fear we'll find you like Ephraim, a cake unturn'd, that is, it's stonehard on one side, and skitter raw on the other
2. With def. art.: Diarrhoea, the ailment.a1605 Montg. Flyt. 238 (T).
Syne sup sex soipis, but sumthing thin … To haill thea of the skitter a1628 Carmichael Prov. 1741.
Ye are over haistie ye bread of the skitter 1699 Watson's Coll. iii 59.
Num beer or ale be fitter To fettle the disjune Of those that have the skitter
