A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1540-1590, 1685
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Skelp, n. Also: skalp. [Late north. ME and e.m.E. skelp (c1440), scelpe (c1550), prob. imitative in origin. Also in the later Sc. and (mainly north.) Eng. dialects.] A blow, slap, smack.(a) 1540 Lynd. Sat. Proclam. 127.
I sowld haif revin thame all in raggis, And laid on skelp for skelp a1568 Bannatyne MS 134a/38.
Ȝit sall I gif ȝour cheik a skelp 1590 Burel Pilgr. ii 400.
Quhyls luking comfort to resaue, Quhyls luking for a skelp c1590 J. Stewart 61/172.
Thair dochtie hands than draife … Schairpe sousing skelps, so splentis skattrit spred 1685 Lauder Observes 181.
He gave Argile a great skelp over the head(b) 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 304.
Be the last manis peice the said lord wes hurt be the skalpis of the stanis in baith thair leigis
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"Skelp n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/skelp_n>
