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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.

SKEICH, adj., adv., n., v. Also skeigh, skeech, skeegh, skiech, skiegh; skech-; skeek, skich, skick; skake-; ¶skight; skey (Clc. 1852 G. P. Boyd Misc. Poems 3). [skiç]

I. adj. 1. Of horses, etc.: inclined to shy, or startle, restive, frisky, mettlesome, spirited (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Ayr. 1912 D. McNaught Kilmaurs 296; Slg., wm.Sc., Wgt. 1970). Hence skeighish, id.Sc. 1707 Hogg Jacob. Relics (1819) I. 69:
Whene'er her tail play'd whisk, Or when her look grew skeigh.Sc. a.1758 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) III. 319:
For tho he be mair fleet and skeigh.Ayr. 1786 Burns Auld Mare viii.:
When thou an' I were young an' skiegh, An' stable-meals at fairs were driegh.Sc. 1882 Scott F. Nigel iv.:
The loupin here and there of the skeigh brute of a horse.Dmb. 1827 W. Taylor Poems 12:
The capering skeighish jade Made him owre the rumple fly.Slk. a.1835 Hogg Poems (1874) 86:
The deer was skight, and the snaw was light, And never a blood-drap could they draw.Sc. 1839 Wilson's Tales of the Borders V. 85:
Bogglin at it, like a skeigh horse at a gate-post.Sc. 1891 N. Dickson Kirk Beadle 62:
The minister remarked as he saw the mare a little friskier than usual, “She's a little skiech the day, John.”Bnff. 1910 “Camlach” Ballads 25:
The horse are fu' skeigh when they set to the ploo.Dmf. 1914 J. L. Waugh Cracks wi' R. Doo 66:
The waesome and pathetic gied place to the skeich and deevil-ma-care.Sc. 1935 W. D. Cocker Further Poems 81:
What gars auld Dobbin 'mang the nowt Caper an' fling as skeich's a cowt?

2. Of persons: (1) in high spirits, gay, frisky, animated, daft, skittish (Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 266; Sc. 1970). Comb. skey-wittit, daft, scatter-brained (Ags. 1970).Per. 1821 T. Atkinson Three Nights 16:
It cheers the spirit, warms the bluid, And mak's us skeigh and vauntie, O!.Sc. 1829 R. Chambers Sc. Songs I. 159:
You'll fash na your head wi' a youthfu' gilly, As wild and as skeigh as a muirland filly.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxvii.:
As skeigh an' contermashous at times as ony body was fit to be.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 83:
I raley thocht the man had gone skeich.Fif. 1897 S. Tytler Lady Jean's Son ii.:
Everybody kens Buchan is skeich. He's as daft as his brother Harry is wise.

(2) esp. of women: shy, coy, disdainful, saucy, haughty (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 266; Lnk., Ayr., Wgt. 1970); “fierce-looking” (Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 693).Sc. 1718 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 68:
Wow gin she was skeigh, And mim that Day.Abd. 1729 Third S.C. Misc. II. 138:
The girle was stiff and sullen but seemed not skeigh.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 90:
The lasses turned skiegh, man, They hid themselves amang the corn.Ags. 1822 A. Balfour Farmers' Three Daughters I. iv.:
I think the lassies a' that muckle the better, that they're a little skeigh — it keeps them in after gloaming.m.Lth. 1857 Misty Morning 235:
Come awa wi' something, man; yer a most awfu' skeigh, sleepy fallow.Fif. 1897 L. Keith My Bonnie Lady xiii.:
She'll draw to him yet for all she's so skeigh.Bte. 1922 J. Sillars McBrides xxix.:
A little skeich with Hugh as though maybe she would rouse the temper in him.Ayr. 1927 J. Carruthers A Man Beset i. vii.:
Those skeigh Swan-Camerons, with their snobbery.

Hence (1) skeichness, aloofness, haughtiness (Sc. 1825 Jam.); (2) skakesem [= skeichsome], coy, shy (Ork. 1970).(1) Ayr. 1892 J.C.C.B. A. Boyd's Cracks 25:
The laird thawed wonderfu' and raired and laughed, A' pride and skeichness gane.(2) Ork. 1894 Sc. Antiquary 81:
Der no vero skakesem i' coortin' ata'.

3. Unpalatable, insipid, tasteless, lacking flavour.Clc. 1852 G. P. Boyd Misc. Poems 6:
Some o' thae teetot'ler dogs, Wha're feedin' him wi' their skeich drugs.

II. adv. In a shy, coy manner, skittishly, disdainfully, saucily, spiritedly (Sc. 1880 Jam.).Rnf. 1790 A. Wilson Poems 193:
Tho' her phraizing (far owre gaudie) Gars me cock my tap fu' skeigh.Ayr. 1792 Burns Duncan Gray i.:
Maggie coost her heid fu' high, Looked asklent and unco skeigh.Slg. 1804 G. Galloway Poems 47:
Auld Scotia held her head fu' skeigh When kings they rang in Stirling.Ags. 1867 G. W. Donald Poems 165:
When skeigh the jads ran in my noddle.Lnk. 1893 J. Crawford Verses 40:
A snod keepit pony nichered skeech 'tween ilk tram.

¶III. n. Pride, arrogance.Sc. 1871 P. H. Waddell Psalms ci. 5:
The skeigh o' the een, an' the hoven heart.

IV. v. 1. To shy, startle, turn aside in fright or excitement (Ayr. 1970). Ppl.adj. skeekid, of persons; affected in manner, flighty; of a horse: nervous, excited (Cai. 1970).Lnk. 1922 T. S. Cairncross Scot at Hame 13:
I've skewed and skeighed and skirled and skelped.

2. Of cattle: to jump about in a lively way (Cai. 1904 E.D.D., skick).