Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Skillit, -et, -ed, ppl. adj. Also: skild, skil'd, skeillit, skeild. [e.m.E. skilled (1552); Skill n.]

1. Possessed of (a particular) skill; able, expert; experienced and qualified. Cf. Skil(l)ful(l adj. 3, and Skill n. 6. a. predic. b. attrib.a. 1618 Trial Isobel Inch 13.
That the said Isobell Crawford was better skillit then the juglour wasb. 1592 Crawford Mining P. xiii.
The skillit quarriour alwaye hewch and bwrding strang 1608 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 520.
To provyde … ane honest and skillit cuik 1618 Trial Isobel Inch 5.
Craivand … that he, as being ane skillet man quho plaid practices, wold help hir 1623 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 142.
They thot gud the mater be dilaited to sum skilled lawier 1624 Perth Kirk S. MS 27 April.
It is nocht lesum to onye except phisitiounis and skeillit men to compoise drinkis of herbis 1671 Lauder Jrnl. 248.
To my father's skild nurse

c. Const. in (a particular accomplishment or art). 1591 Crim. Trials I ii 251.
To mak hir (yow) perfyte and weill skillit in the said airt of wichcraft 1596 Highland P. I 168.
That Patrick MacQueine was sae skillet in his craft that [etc.]superl. 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 101/3.
Using the aduyse of thaime that are skilledest in the craft 1625 Garden Kings 6.
He … those in veneratioun hild That then war known into that calling skil'd 1622-6 Bisset II 181/19.
King James … Richt lerned wes, weill skeild in everie thing a1639 Spotsw. Hist. (1677) 101.
George Creighton succeeded, a man nobly disposed, … but in matters of his calling not very skilled 1677 Dunblane Synod 125.
Ane brother skild in the Irish language

2. absol. as n. pl. People skilful or expert in (a particular field). Cf. 1 c above. 1596 Dundee B. Laws 135.
Be enquiring the votes and opinions of ewerie member of the bodie of the Gild, it consisting of ane great number of not well skeilled in matters of importance