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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.

SKEW, n.¹, v.¹ Also skeu, skue, scew, scue, †sckiew, †sque. [skju]

I. n. A stone forming part of the coping of the sloping part of a gable on which the roof rests, the coping itself (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Gen.Sc., obs. in Eng.; a stone slate used in the valley of a roof (Sc. 1952 Builder (20 June) 943).Ayr. 1734 Ayr Presb. Reg. MS. (3 July):
Casting and pointing the West Gavil and South side waird and skiews upon the East end.Rxb. 1735 Trans. Hawick Arch. Soc. (1926) 40:
Mending the sclate roof and pointing the rigging-stone and scues of the said Kirk.Sc. 1741 Session Papers, Donaldson v. Home (25 June) 26:
4 Foot of droved Sque, restricted to 9d. . . . 3s. 0d.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 43:
High on the sklentin skew or thatched eave.Lnk. 1807 Session Papers, Waddell v. Waddell (16 Feb. 1809) 104:
A hole between the sarking and the skew.Abd. 1865 R. Dinnie Birse 16:
The angles of the ridge and skews were neatly rounded with the thatch.Ayr. 1928 J. S. Gall Muses 19:
Frae the grun tae the skew.Fif. 1938 St Andrews Cit. (3 Sept.) 3:
A cement flashing at the skews.Uls. 1951 E. E. Evans Mourne Country 185:
The thatch was secured in Irish style, with a plentiful plastering of clay on the eaves (easens) and gable ends (skews).

Combs.: 1. club skew, the lowest stone in a gable-coping, the springer or kneeler which supports the coping (Sc. 1952 Builder (20 June) 943); 2. side-skew, a lead flashing or gutter at a skew (Fif. 1955); 3. skew-corbel, = 1. (Sc. 1850 J. Ogilvie Imp. Dict.). Gen.Sc.; 4. skew putt, id. (Ib.). Gen.Sc. Also attrib.; 5. skew-stone, id. (Kcb. 1970); 6. skew-tabling, the flat stones forming the gable-coping; 7. summer sque, see Simmer, n.², 2.4. Sc. 1875 A. Jervise Epitaphs I. 187:
The date of 1637 is upon a skewput stone.Abd. 1908 Abd. Jnl. N. & Q. I. 187:
On the two south skew-put stones are sculptures of a human face, much weathered.Sc. 1970 Abd. Press & Jnl. (4 July):
The initials of the owner and his wife are sometimes to be found on the skewputt.5. Sc. 1833 J. C. Loudon Cottage Architecture § 947:
The skew-stones (the coping-stones of the gables, called barge-stones in England).Abd. 1923 W. D. Simpson Cas. Kildrummy 263:
The gable has curved skewstones, both of which exhibit lettering.6. Bnff. 1804 Session Papers, Petition J. Duff (24 May 1805) App. 8:
The chimney tops are ruinous, as also a part of the skew-tabling.Abd. 1835 Hatton Estate MSS.:
Repairing skue-tabling and raggles — 10s. 6d.

II. v. To build a skew; “to cover the gables of a thatched roof with sods” (s.Sc. 1808 Jam.; ‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Ppl.adj. skewed, having a skew or gable-coping.Ayr. 1703 Ayr Presb. Reg. MS. (3 Nov.):
For repairing, skewing the west gavell.Gsw. 1721 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1909) 116:
To skew a foot off each of the nuicks of said gavills.Abd. 1923 W. D. Simpson Cas. Kildrummy 88:
The gabler is flat-skewed.