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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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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.

SKLYTE, n., v., adv. Also sklite, skloit, scloit, schlyte, and deriv. forms sklytach (Gregor); sklyter, sklit(t)er, skloiter, scleiter; sklyterach (Gregor). [skləit, sklɔit]

I. n. 1. A heavy fall or the sound made by it, a thud (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 162; ne.Sc., em.Sc.(a) 1970).Abd. 1887 Bon-Accord (16 April) 9:
Gowpin doon, fell wi' a sklyte.

2. A soft, wet, half-liquid mass (Gregor; ne.Sc., Ags. 1970). Also in form sklyter (Ib.); a splash, spurt.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond B. Bowden (1922) 81:
There was a skloit o' broon stuff roond aboot my feet.Ags. 1910 J. Lee Poems 23:
Just then in's e'en gaed schlytes o' soap.Abd. 1949 Buchan Observer (4 Oct.):
The shapeless “sklyte” of soft butter.

3. Any broken-down or dilapidated object, esp. a worn-out or thin useless shoe (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 412); transf. a large clumsy foot (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 162).Abd. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 3:
Twa auld sklytes o' sheen Are on his feet.Abd. 1880 Bon-Accord (24 July) 3:
Fat sorra's this sklite o' a thing for?

4. More gen.: a large slice or portion of anything (Abd. 1970); fig. of persons or animals: a big, clumsy, overgrown, lazy, slovenly, lumpish creature (Abd.¹⁵ 1930). Also in form sklyter (Abd. 1970).Abd. 1905 W. Watson Auld Lang Syne 219:
A muckle sweir, useless, auld-wife sklyter.Abd. 1918 W. A. Mutch Brosey Barney 3:
The second chiel at Mullie's was a muckle beefy sklyte.Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 13:
It wis jist a skelp o the muckle furth,
A sklyter o roch grun,
Fin Grandfadder's fadder bruke it in
Fae the hedder an the funn.

II. v. 1. To fall with a thud or thump; to slip, slither, go with a clatter (ne.Sc., Ags., Per. 1970). Also sklyter (Id.).Mry. 1928 S. A. Robertson With Double Tongue 61:
To tell hoo aften he has fa'en and hoo he skloited doon.Abd. 1946 J. C. Milne Orra Loon 9:
I lat the coupit barra skliter ben the skliddery greep.Ags. 1962 Forfar Dispatch (March):
Doon the close wi gaed skliterin.

2. To pour or throw out in a careless noisy way, to slop, splash, splatter (ne.Sc., Ags. 1970). In 1891 quot. of spitting. Adj. sklyterie, wet, muddy, soft and slippery (Ags. 1970). Also sklyter, id.Abd. 1891 J. Leatham Ancient Hind 4:
Sclyterin' an' spittin' a' ower the hoose.Abd. 1928 N. Shepherd Quarry Wood ix.:
Ye've scleitered a ower the place.Abd.¹⁵ 1930:
Isn't gey sklyterie widder? Ay, an' the roads is that saft an' sklyterie tee.

3. To work in a dirty, messy or clumsy manner, to potter or trifle (em.Sc.(a), Lth. 1970).e.Lth. 1928:
What are ye sklyterin at?

III. adv. With a thud or plump, esp. into something soft or wet, with a slithering motion (ne.Sc., Ags., Per. 1970).Abd. 1881 W. Paul Past & Present 139:
Fan he's tired he jist gies sclyte till's bed.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond B. Bowden (1922) 110:
We baith gaed skloiter ower a barra.Abd. 1932 A. M. Williams Bundle of Yarns 66:
Yon hid been her that gied sklite i' th' burn.