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.
SKEEL, n.2 Also skeal, skeil(l), skiel. Dim. form skeelly. [skil]
1. A kind of wooden tub, freq. with handles formed by elongated staves, used to hold milk or water, a milking bucket, a washing tub, etc. (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Ags. 1970); a scoop (e.Lth. 1970). Also in n.Eng. dial. Combs. skeel-dish, a wooden scoop for baling a boat (Bnff.2 1930); skeel-tramping, the treading of clothes in a wash-tub (Ags. 1799 Dundee Mag. (July)).Ags. 1712 A. Jervise Lands of Lindsays (1853) 342:
A wirt dissh, a wirt skeel.Ags. 1742 Glamis Estate Papers MSS. (9 July):
Ane yearning Skeill & Milk Skeill ane Water Skeill for washing the Cogs.n.Sc. 1808 Jam. s.v. Skul:
A washing-tub is called a washing-skiel. The tubs used by brewers for cooling their wort are, in like manner, called skiels.Ags. 1823 Scots Mag. (June) 687:
Standing upright in a washing-tub, with their petticoats kilted, engaged in what we Angus fo'k term skeel-tramping.Edb. 1863 Border Mag. (Aug.) 98:
Mrs Hislop's head was over the skeil, wherein lay one of the linen sheets.Ags. 1903 T. Fyfe Lintrathen 36:
Eh, fat a braw skeelly!
2. A wooden drinking-vessel with a handle, of the quaich sort (Sh., Ork. 1866 Edm. Gl.).Ork. c.1836 Old-Lore Misc. I. vii. 266:
Gudewyfe gae to your geelin' vat, An' draw us off a skeal o' that.
3. A shallow basket for carrying seed from the sack to the sower (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Fif., Rxb. 1970).
[O.Sc. skeil, = 1., c.1500, Mid.Eng. skele, O.N. skjóla, a pail.]
