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.
SKER, adj. Also skerry-. A variant with prothetic s- of ker, Car, adj., n.2, left, only in combs. sker-fit, sker(ry)-handit (Lth., Rxb. 1825 Jam., sker-; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., s.Sc. 1970, skerry). [skær]s.Sc. c.1830 Proc. Bwk. Nat. Club (1916) 78:
Sker-handed or ker-handed, i.e. people who use the left hand more than the right, or sinister handed, “are not safe to be met with on a Tuesday morning,” if you are on the outset of a journey. To enter into the house of a stranger with the left foot first (or sker-fit), brought evil upon the inhabitants; and it was therefore necessary that you should go out, and return in again with your right foot foremost, to prevent any disagreeable circumstances taking place.
