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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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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.

SKELB, n., v. [skɛlb]

I. n. 1. A thin flake, slice or splinter, of wood, stone or metal (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Fif. 1899 J. Colville Sc. Vernacular 18; Uls. 1910 C. C. Russell People and Lang. Uls. 35; ne., em.Sc.(a) 1970), now esp. one lodged in the skin. Adj. skelby, thin, flake-like, laminated; full of or tending to form splinters (wm.Sc. 1880 Jam.).Per. 1839 G. Cumming Views Dunkeld 25:
The stone represented does not rock at present, but this arises from the interjection of skelbs (of stone) between the mass and its supporters.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xviii.:
Bits o' skelbs o' stickies.Abd. 1922 Swatches o' Hamespun 63:
The skelby blade o' a jockteleg.Mry. 1932 E. Gilbert Spindrift 32:
A skelb o' flint tae keep his knife In good trim aye for fittlin'.Bnff. 1953 Banffshire Jnl. (27 Oct.):
A bleezin' skelb o' a rossetty stick or reet tae lat the lave o' them see tae tak' their sippers.Fif. 1985 Christopher Rush A Twelvemonth and a Day 244:
They believed that certain boats were unlucky because they contained an unlucky 'spehl' or 'skelb', which was a small splinter of wood.

2. A thin slice in gen. (ne.Sc. 1970), as of a turf, etc., a furrow slice; the moon in one of its quarters.Bnff. 1895 N. Roy Horseman's Word iv.:
Yonder's a fine thin skelb. . . . The crap'll no be muckle the better for that kind of plewmanship.Abd. 1958 Bon-Accord (16 Jan.) 11:
Lichtit on oor wye by a skelb o' a meen.

II. v. To cut or slice into flakes or splinters, to form splinters, to flake (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 157; Ags., Fif. 1970).Ags. 1825 J. Ross Sermon 16:
It's singit now, an' a' to scunt, An' skelfin' down in mony a dander.