Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SKAIR, n.3 Also scare. In comb. Skair-scone and in reduced or dim. forms skarie, scardie, scaruck. A kind of scone made chiefly of oatmeal with an admixture of flour (see quots.) (Dmf. 1889 Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 152, Kcd.1 1925; Dmf. 1958). [sker]Abd., Kcd. 1825 Jam.:
It is the usual custom on that evening [Fastern's-een] to make skair-scones, which are composed of milk, meal, (or flour), and eggs beaten up and sweetened with sugar, mixed to a thin consistence.Mry. 1914 Trans. Bnff. Field Club 26:
Scarucks or scare scones are formed of meal, salt and water.Abd. 1959 People's Jnl. (13 June):
When I was at school my mother made “skaries” on her baking day. She made them with a few handfuls of oatmeal, some flour, a pinch of salt, and a little bicarbonate of soda. She mixed them into a thickish batter with milk and beaten egg, and cooked them like pancakes on the girdle.
