Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SKIRP, v., n. [skɪrp, Ork. skjɪrp]
I. v. 1. To make a mocking or derisive noise with the mouth, to hiss or sputter with contempt (see etym. note and Scrip, v.).Arg. 1710 Arg. Justiciary Rec. (Stair Soc.) II. 249:
He called the defender a fool severall times and skirped at him with his mouth and uttered other expressions of banter and reproach.
2. tr. or absol. To sprinkle (water, etc.), to splash in small drops or squirts, to bespatter (ne.Sc. 1970).Sc. 1844 Sc. Farmer (July) 29:
With a small birch-broom dash (our correspondent says skirp) the leaves and branches with the solution until thoroughly wet.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxiii.:
We hed to skirp water in's face till he cam' some till 'imsel'.Abd. 1928 N. Shepherd Quarry Wood iv.:
Ye're skirpin' a' ower the place.Abd. 1933 Abd. Press & Jnl. (16 March):
His weskit is skirpit wi' dribbles o' kail.ne.Sc. 1952 John R. Allan North-East Lowlands of Scotland (1974) 191:
The auld wife gave them another sign. They doun on their knees afore her, across the spring; and she took up the water in her hands again, skirpit on their paps, three times the the [sic] three.
3. intr., of water, mud, etc.: to splash, fly up in small drops or spirts (ne.Sc. 1970); to rain slightly, to spit, of rain (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 158; ne.Sc. 1970). Vbl.n. skirpin, a splash, spatter, spot of mud, etc. (ne.Sc. 1970).Ork. 1913 Old-Lore Misc. VI. ii. 87:
After two or three successive blots the claith was pronounced to be “skirpin clean”, which meant that a faint squeak was emitted as the cloth was drawn through the hand.Abd. 1913 D. Scott Hum. Sc. Stories 42:
The dubs skirpin' on ta his specks.Abd. 1920 A. Robb MS. ii.:
It wis a wild cauld day wi' a skirpin o' snaw on the grun.Abd.15 1930:
Ye may look oot for a shooer o skirpins o dubs.Abd.28 1968:
It's skirpin on rain.
4. To knock a splinter off (a stone) in stone-dressing, to chip. Cf. II. 3.Arg.2 1930:
Ye're a careless character; ye've skirped the stone.
II. n. 1. A small drop, splash or spirt of liquid (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 158; ne.Sc. 1970); specif. of a slight shower of rain, a spot (Id.). Also fig. Adj. skirpy, of weather: showery, spitting.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxvi:
Skaikit wi' skirps o' sharn bree.Mry. 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. 128:
It'll be a skirpie gin the morn.Mry. 1914 H. J. Warwick Tales 30:
Silk bonnets an' poplin goons got mony a skirp o' weet.Abd. 1921 R. L. Cassie Doric Ditties 23:
Blueachtie was his weel-worn smock, Wi' skirps o' clay feil teuch.Fif. 1935 St Andrews Citizen (21 Sept.) 5:
Down the front of the jackets the plainness was broken by little skirps of skilly.Abd. 1953 Huntly Express (10 July):
The day was “skirpy kin'” in the forenoon, but later the rain was much heavier.Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 14:
Bit the powks rained on him bi the shairp beak waurna kisses - an cast doon the last skirp o doot. Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 87:
The hale sea wis quate; oot-spreidin sweels as frae dreepin skirps o rain on the ticht, strait scruif.
2. A drop of liquor, a dram (ne.Sc. 1970).Bnff. 1829 J. Dunbar Poems 44:
I like a skirp to cool my mouth.Bnff. 1918 J. Mitchell Bydand 11:
Ower a feuch o' bogie, an' a skirp o' barley-bree.Abd. 1961 Buchan Observer (7 Feb.):
We'll better hae a bit skirp o' a dram.
3. A small flying fragment of metal, stone or the like, a pellet, a splinter (ne.Sc. 1970); in dressing stone: a chip or break on the edge. Cf. I. 4.Abd. 1917 C. Murray Sough o' War 31:
'Twas than I got the skirp o' shell that nail't me i' the queets.Arg.2 1930:
Man, that's a bad skirp on the edge o' that stone.Abd. 1965 Huntly Express (6 Aug.) 2:
I dinna suppose that ye wis ever a stane-br'aker yersel' or ye wid ken that a skirp in the face is common enough.Abd. 2000 Sheena Blackhall The Singing Bird 16:
The stibble park wi skirps o ice
Shimmers in sunlicht's piercin rays;
Wave upon wave, the knowes rise up,
Sclimmerin the mornin's frosty braes.
