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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.

Skirt, Skyrt, n. Also: skirth, scirt, skert. [ME and e.m.E. skirt (Cursor M.), skyrt(e (14th c.), ON skyrta a shirt.]See also For(e)-skirt n. and Riding-skirt n.; and for licht skirt see Licht adj.¹ 10 c.

1. The lower part of a woman's dress, gown or (once) coat; a skirt, as a separate garment. Also b. Lap.(a) c1420 Wynt. iii 434.
Quhen his [sc. Samson's] hevid was lyand Apon hyr skyrt [c. skryt], and he slepand a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 522.
Ane gyrdill can he tak, Ane purs of gold, and mony gay iowall, And in the skirt of Cresseid doun can swak 1513 Doug. i vi 27.
Venus … With … Hir skyrt kiltit til hir bair kne 1550–1 Treas. Acc. IX 472.
Coft to be ane skirt of ane kirtill with slevis [2½ ells cramasy satin] 1551–2 Treas. Acc. X 56. 1561 Treas. Acc. XI 66.
Ane dule riding cloik and skirth to the quenis grace 1643 Dalyell Darker Superst. 390.
[Another hit a cow thrice] with the skirt of hir coit, and instantly the kow was strukin with a strange seikness(b) 1631 Tailor's Acc. Bk. B 11.
Ane govne, dowblett & skert of sattinboumbesay

2. The lower part of a man's gown, or of a jerkin, coat, hauberk, etc. ?1438 Alex. ii 2997.
Alexander … by the skirt him hint but let ?1438 Alex. ii 5542.
In the skirt of his habersoun c1420 Wynt. iv 2351 (W).
With his rycht hand Off his skyrt a lap he schare 1494 Loutfut MS 36a.
The skirtis of a manis gowun the quhilk is spred & maid large 1513 Doug. xii xiv 93.
The schaft … Quhilk throu the hawbrik skyrtis persyt has(b) 1611 Mar & Kellie MSS 67.
Black tafity to lyne the scirts of the jerkin

3. The outskirts, outlying part (of a place). Also pl. c1641–54 J. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 526.
Upon the syds [of the glens] plentie of good corneland, and woods upon the skirts c1657–9 Glasgow B. Rec. III 545.
Falloues the od aikers and skirtis about the toune that payes yeirlie 16… Symson Descr. Galloway 114.
Heir and their [the track] is draun in a narrow roume, and then againe in the wery vtmost skirt it … spredeth it selue abroad at more liberty a1688 Wallace Orkney 12.
Eda … [is] but thinly inhabited, unless it be about the skirts of it

b. pl. The flanks or outermost fringes of an army. 1531 Bell. Boece I 268.
The wageouris, that faucht in the uter skirtis of Romane wingis 1533 Boece 198b.
Thare feris … knawing the skirtis of thare armye denwde and bare 1533 Boece 562.
Archeris … daggand with arrowis the skirtis of the armye 1533 Bell. Livy I 233/16.
The Wolchis … followit feirsly on the lattir skirtis of thare armye

4. The foot or lower slope(s) of a hill, mountain or rock.sing. c1475 Wall. v 905.
Rycht at the skyrt off Quenysbery befell [etc.] ?1666 Lauderdale P. I 250.
This made them draw doune to the skert of ther hillpl. 1513 Doug. vii ix 101.
Wallis [= waves] feill … Jawpyng about hys skyrtis [sc. of a rock] with mony a bray 1513 Doug. xi vi 44.
In the feildis plane Besyde the skyrtis of the mont Gargane c1641–54 J. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 535.
I myl thence … a woddie burn … falling from the skirts of Binmoir 1681 Hunter Fam. P. 66.
Alongest the face of the hill be the grein skirts and down the foot of the grein rode at the head of the Murij glene

5. fig. The fringes or outer edges, as of a garment. 1606 Calderwood VI 485.
Speciallie these whom God hath lapped up within the skirts of his owne honourable styles and names, calling them gods upon earth

6. comb., with lappis: In transf. sense, the folds or flaps of a skirt. 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 85.
The planys … By natur nurysyt … On the fertill skyrt lappys of the grund