Skaddon
Skad´don, n. (Zoöl.) The larva of a bee. [Prov. Eng.]

Skag, n. (Naut.) An additional piece fastened to the keel of a boat to prevent lateral motion. See Skeg.

Skart, n. [Cf. Scarf a cormorant.] (Zoöl.) The shag. [Prov. Eng.]

Skate, n. [D. schaats. Cf. Scatches.] A metallic runner with a frame shaped to fit the sole of a shoe, — made to be fastened under the foot, and used for moving rapidly on ice.
"Batavia rushes forth; and as they sweep, On sounding skates, a thousand different ways, In circling poise, swift as the winds, along, The then gay land is maddened all to joy." Thomson. Roller skate. See under Roller.

Skate, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Skated; p. pr. & vb. n. Skating.] To move on skates.

Skate, n. [Icel. skata; cf. Prov. G. schatten, meer -schatten, L. squatus, squatina, and E. shad.] (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of large, flat elasmobranch fishes of the genus Raia, having a long, slender tail, terminated by a small caudal fin. The pectoral fins, which are large and broad and united to the sides of the body and head, give a somewhat rhombic form to these fishes. The skin is more or less spinose. Some of the species are used for food, as the European blue or gray skate ( Raia batis), which sometimes weighs nearly 200 pounds. The American smooth, or barn-door, skate ( R. laevis) is also a large species, often becoming three or four feet across. The common spiny skate ( R. erinacea) is much smaller. Skate’s egg. See Sea purse. — Skate sucker, any marine leech of the genus Pontobdella, parasitic on skates.

Skatol
Ska´tol, n. [Gr., dung + -ol.] (Physiol. Chem.) A constituent of human faeces formed in the small intestines as a product of the putrefaction of albuminous matter. It is also found in reduced indigo. Chemically it is methyl indol, C₉H₉N.

Skayles, n. [rad.159.] Skittles. [Obs.]

Skean, n. [Ir sgian; akin to Gael. sgian, W. ysgien a large knife, a scimiter.] A knife or short dagger, esp. that in use among the Highlanders of Scotland. [Variously spelt.] "His skean, or pistol." Spenser.

Skedaddle
Ske•dad´dle, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Skedaddled p. pr. & vb. n. Skedaddling ] [Of uncertain etymology.] To betake one’s self to flight, as if in a panic; to flee; to run away. [Slang, U. S.]

Skeg, n. [Prov. E., also a stump of a branch, a wooden peg; cf. Icel. skgr a wood, Sw. skog. Cf. Shaw.]
1. A sort of wild plum. [Obs.] Holland.
2. pl. A kind of oats. Farm. Encyc.
3. (Naut.) The after part of the keel of a vessel, to which the rudder is attached.

Skein, n. [OE. skeyne, OF. escaigne, F. ecagne, probably of Celtic origin; cf. Ir. sgainne, Gael. sgeinnidh thread, small twine; or perhaps the English word is immediately from Celtic.]
1. A quantity of yarn, thread, or the like, put up together, after it is taken from the reel, — usually tied in a sort of knot. A skein of cotton yarn is formed by eighty turns of the thread round a fifty-four inch reel.
2. (Wagon Making) A metallic strengthening band or thimble on the wooden arm of an axle. Knight.

Skein, n. (Zoöl.) A flight of wild fowl (wild geese or the like). [Prov. Eng.]

Skeine, n. See Skean.

Skelet
Skel´et, n. A skeleton. See Scelet.

Skeletogenous
Skel•e•tog´e•nous, a. [ Skeleton + -genous.] Forming or producing parts of the skeleton.

Skeletology
Skel•e•tol´o•gy, n. [ Skeleton + -logy.] That part of anatomy which treats of the skeleton; also a treatise on the skeleton.

Skeleton
Skel´e•ton, n. [NL., fr. Gr. (sc. ) a dried body, a mummy, fr. dried up, parched, to dry, dry up, parch.]
1. (Anat.) (a) The bony and cartilaginous framework which supports the soft parts of a vertebrate animal. [See Illust. of the Human Skeleton, in Appendix.] (b) The more or less firm or hardened framework of an invertebrate animal. In a wider sense, the skeleton includes the whole connective-tissue framework with the integument and its appendages. See Endoskeleton, and Exoskeleton.
2. Hence, figuratively: (a) A very thin or lean person. (b) The framework of anything; the principal parts that support the rest, but without the appendages.
"The great skeleton of the world." Sir M. Hale. (c) The heads and outline of a literary production, especially of a sermon.

Skeleton
Skel´e•ton, a. Consisting of, or resembling, a skeleton; consisting merely of the framework or outlines; having only certain leading features of anything; as a skeleton sermon; a skeleton crystal. Skeleton bill, a bill or draft made out in blank as to the amount or payee, but signed by the acceptor. [Eng.] — Skeleton key, a key with nearly the whole substance of the web filed away, to adapt it to avoid the wards of a lock; a master key; — used for opening locks to which it has not been especially fitted. — Skeleton leaf, a leaf from which the pulpy part has been removed by chemical means, the fibrous part alone remaining. — Skeleton proof, a proof of a print or engraving, with the inscription outlined in hair strokes only, such proofs being taken before the engraving is finished. — Skeleton regiment, a regiment which has its complement of officers, but in which there are few enlisted men. — Skeleton shrimp (Zoöl.), a small crustacean of the genus Caprella. See Illust. under Laemodipoda.

Skellum
Skel´lum, n. [Dan. schelm, fr. G. schelm.] A scoundrel. [Obs. or Scot.] Pepys. Burns.

Skelly
Skel´ly, v. i. [Cf. Dan. skele, Sw. skela.] To squint. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

Skelly
Skel´ly, n. A squint. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

Skelp, n. [Cf. Prov. E. skelp to kick severely, to move rapidly; Gael. sgealp, n., a slap with the palm of the hand, v., to strike with the palm of the hand.]
1. A blow; a smart stroke. [Prov. Eng.] Brockett.
2. A squall; also a heavy fall of rain. [Scot.]

Skelp, v. t. To strike; to slap. [Scot.] C. Reade.

Skelp, n. A wrought-iron plate from which a gun barrel or pipe is made by bending and welding the edges together, and drawing the thick tube thus formed.

Skelp, v. t. To form into skelp, as a plate or bar of iron by rolling; also to bend round (a skelp) in tube making.

Skelter
Skel´ter, v. i. [Cf. Helter- skelter.] To run off helter-skelter; to hurry; to scurry; — with away or off. [Colloq.] A. R. Wallace.

Skene, n. See Skean. C. Kingsley.

Skeptic
Skep´tic, n. [Gr. skeptiko•s thoughtful, reflective, fr. ske•ptesqai to look carefully or about, to view, consider: cf. L. scepticus, F. sceptique. See Scope.] [Written also sceptic.]
1. One who is yet undecided as to what is true; one who is looking or inquiring for what is true; an inquirer after facts or reasons.
2. (Metaph.) A doubter as to whether any fact or truth can be certainly known; a universal doubter; a Pyrrhonist; hence, in modern usage, occasionally, a person who questions whether any truth or fact can be established on philosophical grounds; sometimes, a critical inquirer, in opposition to a dogmatist.
"All this criticism [of Hume] proceeds upon the erroneous hypothesis that he was a dogmatist. He was a skeptic; that is, he accepted the principles asserted by the prevailing dogmatism: and only showed that such and such conclusions were, on these principles, inevitable." Sir W. Hamilton.
3. (Theol.) A person who doubts the existence and perfections of God, or the truth of revelation; one who disbelieves the divine origin of the Christian religion.
"Suffer not your faith to be shaken by the sophistries of skeptics." S. Clarke. This word and its derivatives are often written with c instead of k in the first syllable, — sceptic, sceptical, scepticism, etc. Dr. Johnson, struck with the extraordinary irregularity of giving c its hard sound before e, altered the spelling, and his example has been followed by most of the lexicographers who have succeeded him; yet the prevalent practice among English writers and printers is in favor of the other mode. In the United States this practice is reversed, a large and increasing majority of educated persons preferring the orthography which is most in accordance with etymology and analogy.
Syn. — Infidel; unbeliever; doubter. — See Infidel. { Skep´tic, Skep´tic•al } a. [Written also sceptic, sceptical.]
1. Of or pertaining to a sceptic or skepticism; characterized by skepticism; hesitating to admit the certainly of doctrines or principles; doubting of everything.
2. (Theol.) Doubting or denying the truth of revelation, or the sacred Scriptures.
"The skeptical system subverts the whole foundation of morals." R. Hall. — Skep´tac•al•ly, adv. — Skep´tic•al•ness, n.

Skepticize
Skep´ti•cize, v. i. To doubt; to pretend to doubt of everything. [R.]
"To skepticize, where no one else will … hesitate." Shaftesbury.

Skerry
Sker´ry, n. ; pl. Skerries (#). [Of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. sker, Sw. skär, Dan. skir. Cf. Scar a bank.] A rocky isle; an insulated rock. [Scot.]

Sketchbook
Sketch´book, n. A book of sketches or for sketches.

Sketcher
Sketch´er, n. One who sketches.

Sketchily
Sketch´i•ly, adv. In a sketchy or incomplete manner. "Sketchily descriptive." Bartlett.

Sketchiness
Sketch´i•ness, n. The quality or state of being sketchy; lack of finish; incompleteness.

Sketchy
Sketch´y, a. Containing only an outline or rough form; being in the manner of a sketch; incomplete.
"The execution is sketchy throughout; the head, in particular, is left in the rough." J. S. Harford.

Skew, adv. [Cf. D. scheef. Dan. skiv, Sw. skef, Icel. skeifr, G. schief, also E. shy, a. & v. i.] Awry; obliquely; askew.

Skew, a. Turned or twisted to one side; situated obliquely; skewed; — chiefly used in technical phrases. Skew arch, an oblique arch. See under Oblique. — Skew back. (Civil Engin.) (a) The course of masonry, the stone, or the iron plate, having an inclined face, which forms the abutment for the voussoirs of a segmental arch. (b) A plate, cap, or shoe, having an inclined face to receive the nut of a diagonal brace, rod, or the end of an inclined strut, in a truss or frame. — Skew bridge. See under Bridge, n. — Skew curve (Geom.), a curve of double curvature, or a twisted curve. See Plane curve, under Curve. — Skew gearing, or Skew bevel gearing (Mach.), toothed gearing, generally resembling bevel gearing, for connecting two shafts that are neither parallel nor intersecting, and in which the teeth slant across the faces of the gears. — Skew surface (Geom.), a ruled surface such that in general two successive generating straight lines do not intersect; a warped surface; as the helicoid is a skew surface. — Skew symmetrical determinant (Alg.), a determinant in which the elements in each column of the matrix are equal to the elements of the corresponding row of the matrix with the signs changed, as in (1), below. (1) 0 2 -3-2 0 53 -5 0 (2) 4 -1 71 8 - 2-7 2 1 This requires that the numbers in the diagonal from the upper left to lower right corner be zeros. A like determinant in which the numbers in the diagonal are not zeros is a skew determinant, as in (2), above.

Skew, n. (Arch.) A stone at the foot of the slope of a gable, the offset of a buttress, or the like, cut with a sloping surface and with a check to receive the coping stones and retain them in place.

Skew, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Skewed p. pr. & vb. n. Skewing.]
1. To walk obliquely; to go sidling; to lie or move obliquely.
"Child, you must walk straight, without skewing." L’Estrange.
2. To start aside; to shy, as a horse. [Prov. Eng.]
3. To look obliquely; to squint; hence, to look slightingly or suspiciously. Beau. & Fl.

Skew, v. t. [See Skew, adv. ]
1. To shape or form in an oblique way; to cause to take an oblique position.
2. To throw or hurl obliquely.

Skewer
Skew´er, n. [Probably of Scand, origin; cf. Sw. & Dan. skifer a slate. Cf. Shuver a fragment.] A pin of wood or metal for fastening meat to a spit, or for keeping it in form while roasting.
"Meat well stuck with skewers to make it look round." Swift.

Skewer
Skew´er, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Skewered p. pr. & vb. n. Skewering.] To fasten with skewers.

Skid road. (Logging) (a) A road along which logs are dragged to the skidway or landing; — called also travois, or travoy, road. (b) A road having partly sunken transverse logs (called skids) at intervals of about five feet.

Skiddaw
Skid´daw, n. (Zoöl.) The black guillemot. [Prov. Eng.]

Skidder
Skid´der, n. One that skids; one that uses a skid; specif.: (Logging) (a) One that skids logs. (b) An engine for hauling the cable used in skidding logs. (c) The foreman of a construction gang making a skid road.

Skidpan
Skid´pan, n. See Skid, n. , 1. [Eng.]

Skilder
Skil´der, v. i. To beg; to pilfer; to skelder. [Prov. Eng.& Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

Skilful
Skil´ful, a. See Skilful.

Skilled, a. Having familiar knowledge united with readiness and dexterity in its application; familiarly acquainted with; expert; skillful; — often followed by in; as a person skilled in drawing or geometry.

Skillet
Skil´let, n. [OF. escuelette, dim. of escuelle a porringer, F. ecuelle, fr. L. scutella, dim. of scutra, scuta, a dish. Cf. Scuttle a basket.] A small vessel of iron, copper, or other metal, with a handle, used for culinary purpose, as for stewing meat.

Skilligalee
Skil•li•ga•lee´, n. A kind of thin, weak broth or oatmeal porridge, served out to prisoners and paupers in England; also a drink made of oatmeal, sugar, and water, sometimes used in the English navy or army. [Written also skilligolee, skillygalee, etc.]

Skilling
Skil´ling, n. [Cf. Sheeling.] A bay of a barn; also a slight addition to a cottage. [Prov. Eng.]

Skilling
Skil´ling, n. [Sw. & Dan. See Shilling.] A money od account in Sweden, Norwey, Denmark, and North Germany, and also a coin. It had various values, from three fourths of a cent in Norway to more than two cents in Lübeck.

Skilts, n. pl. A kind of large, coarse, short trousers formerly worn. [Local, U. S.] Bartlett.

Skilty
Skil´ty, n. The water rail. [Prov. Eng.]

Skim (skim), v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Skimmed (skimd); p. pr. & vb. n. Skimming.] [Cf. Sw. skymma to darken. rad.158. See Scum.]
1. To clear (a liquid) from scum or substance floating or lying thereon, by means of a utensil that passes just beneath the surface; as to skim milk; to skim broth.
2. To take off by skimming; as to skim cream.
3. To pass near the surface of; to brush the surface of; to glide swiftly along the surface of.
"Homer describes Mercury as flinging himself from the top of Olympus, and skimming the surface of the ocean." Hazlitt.
4. Fig.: To read or examine superficially and rapidly, in order to cull the principal facts or thoughts; as to skim a book or a newspaper.

Skim, v. i.
1. To pass lightly; to glide along in an even, smooth course; to glide along near the surface.
"Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain, Flies o’er the unbending corn, and skims along the main." Pope.
2. To hasten along with superficial attention.
"They skim over a science in a very superficial survey." I. Watts.
3. To put on the finishing coat of plaster.

Skim, a. Contraction of Skimming and Skimmed. Skim coat, the final or finishing coat of plaster. — Skim colter, a colter for paring off the surface of land. — Skim milk, skimmed milk; milk from which the cream has been taken.

Skim, n. Scum; refuse. Bryskett.

Skimback
Skim´back (skim"bak•), n. (Zoöl.) The quillback. [Local, U.S.]

Skimble-scamble
Skim´ble-scam•ble, a. [A reduplication of scamble.] Rambling; disorderly; unconnected. [Colloq.]
"Such a deal of skimble-scamble stuff." Shak.

Skimitry
Skim´i•try, n. See Skimmington.

Skimmerton
Skim´mer•ton, n. See Skimmington.

Skimmingly
Skim´ming•ly, adv. In a skimming manner.

Skimmington
Skim´ming•ton, n. [Etymol. uncertain. Perhaps the name of some notorius scold.] A word employed in the phrase, To ride Skimmington; that is to ride on a horse with a woman, but behind her, facing backward, carrying a distaff, and accompanied by a procession of jeering neighbors making mock music; a cavalcade in ridicule of a henpecked man. The custom was in vogue in parts of England.

Skimp, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Skimped p. pr. & vb. n. Skimping.] [Cf. Skinch, Scamp, v. t.]
1. To slight; to do carelessly; to scamp. [Prov. Eng. & Colloq. U.S.]
2. To make insufficient allowance for; to scant; to scrimp. [Prov. Eng. & Colloq. U. S.]

Skimp, v. i. To save; to be parsimonious or niggardly. [Prov. Eng. & Colloq. U.S.]

Skimp, a. Scanty. [Prov. Eng. & Colloq. U.S.]

Skin, n. [Icel. skinn; akin to Sw. skinn, Dan. skind, AS. scinn, G. schined to skin.]
1. (Anat.) The external membranous integument of an animal. In man, and the vertebrates generally, the skin consist of two layers, an outer nonsensitive and nonvascular epidermis, cuticle, or skarfskin, composed of cells which are constantly growing and multiplying in the deeper, and being thrown off in the superficial, layers; and an inner sensitive, and vascular dermis, cutis, corium, or true skin, composed mostly of connective tissue.
2. The hide of an animal, separated from the body, whether green, dry, or tanned; especially, that of a small animal, as a calf, sheep, or goat.
3. A vessel made of skin, used for holding liquids. See Bottle, 1. "Skins of wine." Tennyson.
4. The bark or husk of a plant or fruit; the exterior coat of fruits and plants.
5. (Naut.) (a) That part of a sail, when furled, which remains on the outside and covers the whole. Totten. (b) The covering, as of planking or iron plates, outside the framing, forming the sides and bottom of a vessel; the shell; also a lining inside the framing. Skin friction, Skin resistance (Naut.), the friction, or resistance, caused by the tendency of water to adhere to the immersed surface (skin) of a vessel. — Skin graft (Surg.), a small portion of skin used in the process of grafting. See Graft, v. t., 2. — Skin moth (Zoöl.), any insect which destroys the prepared skins of animals, especially the larva of Dermestes and Anthrenus. — Skin of the teeth, nothing, or next to nothing; the least possible hold or advantage. Job xix. 20. — Skin wool, wool taken from dead sheep.

Skin, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Skinned p. pr. & vb. n. Skinning.]
1. To strip off the skin or hide of; to flay; to peel; as to skin an animal.
2. To cover with skin, or as with skin; hence, to cover superficially.
"It will but skin and film the ulcerous place." Shak.
3. To strip of money or property; to cheat. [Slang]

Skin, v. i.
1. To become covered with skin; as a wound skins over.
2. To produce, in recitation, examination, etc., the work of another for one’s own, or to use in such exercise cribs, memeoranda, etc., which are prohibited. [College Cant, U.S.]

Skinbound
Skin´bound, a. Having the skin adhering closely and rigidly to the flesh; hidebound. Skinbound disease. (Med.) See Sclerema neonatorum, under Sclerema.

Skinflint
Skin´flint, n. [ Skin + flint.] A penurious person; a miser; a niggard. Sir W. Scott.

Skinful
Skin´ful, n. ; pl. Skinfuls . As much as a skin can hold.

Skink, n. [L. scincus, Gr. .] [Written also scink.] (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of regularly scaled harmless lizards of the family Scincidae, common in the warmer parts of all the continents. The officinal skink ( Scincus officinalis) inhabits the sandy plains of South Africa. It was believed by the ancients to be a specific for various diseases. A common slender species ( Seps tridactylus) of Southern Europe was formerly believed to produce fatal diseases in cattle by mere contact. The American skinks include numerous species of the genus Eumeces, as the blue-tailed skink ( E. fasciatus) of the Eastern United States. The ground skink, or ground lizard ( Oligosoma laterale) inhabits the Southern United States.

Skink, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Skinked p. pr. & vb. n. Skinking.] [Icel. skenja; akin to Sw. skäka, Dan. skienke, AS. scencan, D. & G. schenken. As. scencan is usually derived from sceonc, sceanc, shank, a hollow bone being supposed to have been used to draw off liquor from a cask. rad.161. See Shank, and cf. Nunchion.] To draw or serve, as drink. [Obs.]
"Bacchus the wine them skinketh all about." Chaucer.
"Such wine as Ganymede doth skink to Jove." Shirley.

Skink, v. i. To serve or draw liquor. [Obs.]

Skink, n. Drink; also pottage. [Obs.] Bacon.

Skinker
Skink´er, n. One who serves liquor; a tapster.

Skinless
Skin´less, a. Having no skin, or a very thin skin; as skinless fruit.

Skinner
Skin´ner, n.
1. One who skins.
2. One who deals in skins, pelts, or hides.

Skinniness
Skin´ni•ness, n. Quality of being skinny.

Skinny
Skin´ny, a. Consisting, or chiefly consisting, of skin; wanting flesh. "Her skinny lips." Shak.
"He holds him with a skinny hand." Coleridge.

Skip, n. [See Skep.]
1. A basket. See Skep. [Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
2. A basket on wheels, used in cotton factories.
3. (Mining) An iron bucket, which slides between guides, for hoisting mineral and rock.
4. (Sugar Manuf.) A charge of sirup in the pans.
5. A beehive; a skep.

Skip, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Skipped p. pr. & vb. n. Skipping.] [OE. skippen, of uncertain origin; cf. Icel. skopa run, skoppa to spin like a top, OSw. & dial. Sw. skimmpa to run, skimpa, skompa, to hop, skip; or Ir. sgiob to snatch, Gael. sgiab to start or move suddenly, to snatch, W. ysgipio to snatch.]
1. To leap lightly; to move in leaps and hounds; — commonly implying a sportive spirit.
"The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day, Had he thy reason, would he skip and play?" Pope.
"So she drew her mother away skipping, dancing, and frisking fantastically." Hawthorne.
2. Fig.: To leave matters unnoticed, as in reading, speaking, or writing; to pass by, or overlook, portions of a thing; — often followed by over.

Skip, v. t.
1. To leap lightly over; as to skip the rope.
2. To pass over or by without notice; to omit; to miss; as to skip a line in reading; to skip a lesson.
"They who have a mind to see the issue may skip these two chapters." Bp. Burnet.
3. To cause to skip; as to skip a stone. [Colloq.]

Skip, n.
1. A light leap or bound.
2. The act of passing over an interval from one thing to another; an omission of a part.
3. (Mus.) A passage from one sound to another by more than a degree at once. Busby. Skip kennel, a lackey; a footboy. [Slang.] Swift. — Skip mackerel. (Zoöl.) See Bluefish, 1.

Skipper
Skip´per, n.
1. One who, or that which, skips.
2. A young, thoughtless person. Shak.
3. (Zoöl.) The saury ( Scomberesox saurus).
4. The cheese maggot. See Cheese fly, under Cheese.
5. (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of small butterflies of the family Hesperiadae; — so called from their peculiar short, jerking flight.

Skipper
Skip´per, n. [D. schipper. See Shipper, and Ship.]
1. (Naut.) The master of a fishing or small trading vessel; hence, the master, or captain, of any vessel.
2. A ship boy. [Obs.] Congreve.

Skirl, v. t.& i. [Of Scand. origin, and originally the same word as E. shrill.] To utter in a shrill tone; to scream. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

Skirl, n. A shrill cry or sound. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

Skirlcock
Skirl´cock, n. (Zoöl.) The missel thrush; — so called from its harsh alarm note. [Prev. Eng.]

Skirlcrake
Skirl´crake, n. The turnstone. [Prev. Eng.]

Skirling
Skirl´ing, n. A shrill cry or sound; a crying shrilly; a skirl. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.] Sir W. Scott.
"When the skirling of the pipes cleft the air his cold eyes softened." Mrs. J. H. Ewing.

Skirling
Skirl´ing, n. (Zoöl.) A small trout or salmon; — a name used loosely. [Prov. Eng.]

Skirmish
Skir´mish, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Skirmished p. pr. & vb. n. Skirmishing.] [OE. skirmishen, scarmishen, OF. escremir, eskermir, to fence, fight, F. escrimer, of German origin; cf. OHG. scirmen to protect, defend, G. schirmen, OHG. scirm, scerm, protection, shield, G. schirm; perhaps akin to Gr. a sunshade. Cf. Scaramouch, Scrimmage.] To fight slightly or in small parties; to engage in a skirmish or skirmishes; to act as skirmishers.

Skirmish
Skir´mish, n. [OE. scarmishe, scrymishe. See Skirmish, v. i.]
1. A slight fight in war; a light or desultory combat between detachments from armies, or between detached and small bodies of troops.
2. A slight contest.
"They never meet but there’s a skirmish of wit." Shak.

Skirr, v. t. [Cf. Scur, Scurry.] To ramble over in order to clear; to scour. [Archaic] Shak.

Skirr, v. i. To scour; to scud; to run. [Archaic]

Skirr, n. (Zoöl.) A tern. [Prov. Eng.]

Skirret
Skir´ret, n. [A corrupted form equivalent to sugarwort.] (Bot.) An umbelliferous plant ( Sium, or Pimpinella, Sisarum). It is a native of Asia, but has been long cultivated in Europe for its edible clustered tuberous roots, which are very sweet.

Skirrhus
Skir´rhus, n. (Med.) See Scirrhus.

Skirting
Skirt´ing, n.
1. (Arch.) A skirting board. [R.]
2. Skirts, taken collectivelly; material for skirts. Skirting board, the board running around a room on the wall next the floor; baseboard.

Skit, v. t. [Prov. E. skitto slide, as adj., hasty, precipitate, of Scand. origin, and akin to E. shoot, v.t.; cf. Icel. skyti, skytja, skytta, a marksman, shooter, skjota to shoot, skuta a taunt. rad.159. See Shoot.] To cast reflections on; to asperse. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.] Crose.

Skit, n.
1. A reflection; a jeer or gibe; a sally; a brief satire; a squib. Tooke.
"A similar vein satire upon the emptiness of writers is given in his "Tritical Essay upon the Faculties of the Human Mind;" but that is a mere skit compared with this strange performance." Leslie Stephen.
2. A wanton girl; a light wench. [Obs.]

Skitter
Skit´ter, v. t. [Cf. Skit, v. t.] To move or pass (something) over a surface quickly so that it touches only at intervals; to skip.
"The angler, standing in the bow, ’skitters’ or skips the spoon over the surface." James A. Henshall.

Skitter
Skit´ter, v. i. To pass or glide lightly or with quick touches at intervals; to skip; to skim.
"Some kinds of ducks in lighting strike the water with their tails first, and skitter along the surface for a feet before settling down." T. Roosevelt.

Skittish
Skit´tish, a. [See Skit, v. t.]
1. Easily frightened; timorous; shy; untrustworthy; as a skittish colt. "A restiff, skittish jade." L’Estrange.
2. Wanton; restive; freakish; volatile; changeable; fickle. "Skittish Fortune’s hall." Shak. — Skit´tish•ly, adv. — Skit´tish•ness, n.

Skittle-dog
Skit´tle-dog, n. (Zoöl.) The piked dogfish.

Skittles
Skit´tles, n. pl. [Of Scand. origin. rad.159. See Shoot, v. t., and cf. Shuttle, Skit, v. t.] An English game resembling ninepins, but played by throwing wooden disks, instead of rolling balls, at the pins.

Skiver
Skiv´er, n. [Cf. Skewer, Shiver a fragment.]
1. An inferior quality of leather, made of split sheepskin, tanned by immersion in sumac, and dyed. It is used for hat linings, pocketbooks, bookbinding, etc.
2. The cutting tool or machine used in splitting leather or skins, as sheepskins.

Sklayre, n. [Cf. G. schleier.] A vell. [Obs.]

Sklere, v. t. To shelter; to cover. [Obs.] { Skol´e•cite, Skol´e•zite }, n. (Min.) See Scolecite.

Skoptsy
Skop•tsy´, n. pl. See Raskolnik.

Skowitz
Sko´witz, n. [Nisqually (American Indian) name.] (Zoöl.) The silver salmon.

Skreen, n. & v. See Screen. [Obs.]

Skrimmage
Skrim´mage, n. See Scrimmage.

Skua
Sku´a, n. [Icel. skfr, skmr.] (Zoöl.) Any jager gull; especially, the Megalestris skua; — called also boatswain.

Skue, a. & n. See Skew.

Skulkingly
Skulk´ing•ly, adv. In a skulking manner.

Skull, n. [See School a multitude.] A school, company, or shoal. [Obs.]
"A knavish skull of boys and girls did pelt at him." Warner.
"These fishes enter in great flotes and skulls." Holland.

Skull, n. [OE. skulle, sculle, scolle; akin to Scot. skull, skoll, a bowl, Sw. skalle skull, skal a shell, and E. scale; cf. G. hirn schale, Dan. hierne skal. Cf. Scale of a balance.]
1. (Anat.) The skeleton of the head of a vertebrate animal, including the brain case, or cranium, and the bones and cartilages of the face and mouth. See Illust. . of Carnivora, of Facial angles under Facial, and of Skeleton, in Appendix. In many fishes the skull is almost wholly cartilaginous but in the higher vertebrates it is more or less completely ossified, several bones are developed in the face, and the cranium is made up, wholly or partially, of bony plates arranged in three segments, the frontal, parietal, and occipital, and usually closely united in the adult.
2. The head or brain; the seat of intelligence; mind.
"Skulls that can not teach, and will not learn." Cowper.
3. A covering for the head; a skullcap. [Obs. & R.]
"Let me put on my skull first." Beau. & Fl.
4. A sort of oar. See Scull. Skull and crossbones, a symbol of death. See Crossbones.

Skullfish
Skull´fish, n. A whaler’s name for a whale more than two years old.

Skulpin
Skul´pin, n. (Zoöl.) See Sculpin.

Skunkball
Skunk´ball, n. (Zoöl.) The surf duck.

Skunkhead
Skunk´head, n. (Zoöl.) (a) The surf duck. (b) A duck ( Camptolaimus Labradorus) which formerly inhabited the Atlantic coast of New England. It is now supposed to be extinct. Called also Labrador duck, and pied duck.

Skunkish
Skunk´ish, a. Like the skunk, especially in odor.

Skunktop
Skunk´top, n. (Zoöl.) The surf duck.

Skunkweed
Skunk´weed, n. (Bot.) Skunk cabbage.

Skurry
Skur´ry, n. & v. See Scurry.

Skutterudite
Skut´ter•ud•ite, n. [From Skutterud, in Norway, whence it is obtained.] (Min.) A mineral of a bright metallic luster and tin-white to pale lead- gray color. It consists of arsenic and cobalt.

Sky (ski), n. ; pl. Skies (skiz). [OE. skie a cloud, Icel. sky; akin to Sw. & Dan. sky; cf. AS. scua, scuwa, shadow, Icel. skuggi; probably from the same root as E. scum. rad.158. See Scum, and cf. Hide skin, Obscure.]
1. A cloud. [Obs.]
"[A wind] that blew so hideously and high, That it ne lefte not a sky In all the welkin long and broad." Chaucer.
2. Hence, a shadow. [Obs.]
"She passeth as it were a sky." Gower.
3. The apparent arch, or vault, of heaven, which in a clear day is of a blue color; the heavens; the firmament; - - sometimes in the plural.
"The Norweyan banners flout the sky." Shak.
4. The wheather; the climate.
"Thou wert better in thy grave than to answer with thy uncovered body this extremity of the skies." Shak. Sky is often used adjectively or in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as sky color, skylight, sky-aspiring, sky-born, sky-pointing, sky- roofed, etc. Sky blue, an azure color. — Sky scraper (Naut.), a skysail of a triangular form. Totten. — Under open sky, out of doors. "Under open sky adored." Milton.

Sky, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Skied or Skyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Skying ]
1. To hang (a picture on exhibition) near the top of a wall, where it can not be well seen. [Colloq.]
"Brother Academicians who skied his pictures." The Century.
2. To throw towards the sky; as to sky a ball at cricket. [Colloq.]

Sky-blue
Sky´-blue, a. Having the blue color of the sky; azure; as a sky-blue stone. Wordsworth.

Skye terrier
Skye" ter"ri•er (Zoöl.) See Terrier.

Skyey
Sky´ey, a. Like the sky; ethereal; being in the sky. "Skyey regions." Thackeray.
"Sublime on the towers of my skyey bowers, Lightning, my pilot, sits." Shelley.

Sky-high
Sky´-high, adv. & a. Very high. [Colloq.]

Skyish
Sky´ish, a. Like the sky, or approaching the sky; lofty; ethereal. [R.] Shak.

Skylark
Sky´lark, n. (Zoöl.) A lark that mounts and sings as it files, especially the common species ( Alauda arvensis) found in Europe and in some parts of Asia, and celebrated for its melodious song; — called also sky laverock. See under Lark. The Australian skylark ( Cincloramphus cantillans) is a pipit which has the habit of ascending perpendicularly like a skylark, but it lacks the song of a true lark. The Missouri skylark is a pipit ( Anthus Spraguei) of the Western United States, resembling the skylark in habit and song.

Skylight
Sky´light, n. A window placed in the roof of a building, in the ceiling of a room, or in the deck of a ship, for the admission of light from above.

Skyman
Sky´man, n. ; pl. - men. An aëronaut. [Slang]

Skyrocket
Sky´rock•et, n. A rocket that ascends high and burns as it flies; a species of fireworks.

Skysail
Sky´sail, n. (Naut.) The sail set next above the royal. See Illust. under Sail.

Skyward
Sky´ward, a. & adv. Toward the sky.