Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SKLEFF, adj., n. Also sclaif, sclafe. [sklɛf]
I. adj. 1. Shallow, flat, of a dish (s.Sc. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl.; Slk. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Lth. 1970).
2. Flat, level, of ground (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); thin and flat, of things (Bwk. 1825 Jam., 1942 Wettstein; Rxb. 1942 Zai; s.Sc. 1970); of persons: not plump or rounded in figure (Rxb. 1825 Jam., 1923 Watson W.-B.); esp. of women: flat-breasted (Slk. 1958).Bwk. 1825 Jam.:
A skleff cheese, a skleff piece of wood.Sc. 1892 Burnsiana (Ross) I. 20:
A thin-flanked, sparse, what the Scotch would call skleff, niggardly volume.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 2:
On the skleff, strecht streetch at the heed o the brae.Rxb. 1927 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick 20:
Ee've straampeet eet as skleff as a pancake. A never saw sic a thin craittir; she's as skleff as a fir dael.
3. Flat-footed (Rnf. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Hence comb. skleff-fittit, id. (Rxb. Ib.).
4. Equal, even, or level in a competition with a competitor (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); quits, in regard to a debt, on even terms (Rxb. 1970).Rxb. 1927 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick 20:
A've paid the accoont, so oo're skleff.
5. = Eng. flat, of a statement of one's opinion or determination, final, definite, not to be gainsaid (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., that's skleff).
II. n. 1. With def. art.: flat, level ground (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1970, on the skleff).Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 20:
A was luntin alang the skleff, towrt Denum.
2. In dim. skleffie: a flat thin stone used in playing ducks and drakes over the surface of water (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1970).
3. A thin slice of anything (Cld. 1825 Jam., s.v. sclaffer).
[Prob. onomat. in orig., imit. of a flat, slapping sound or motion. Cf. Sclaff.]
