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.

Skelly, Skellé, Skellie, n. [Of doubtful origin, but cf. OIr. sceillic (Ir. sceillig) a splinter, reef, rocky islet or pinnacle of rock, a crag (Dineen) (freq. in place-names). Not recorded in Sc. Gaelic, where the corresponding term is sgeir rock in the sea (etc.) (see Dwelly), dimin. sgeireag little rock in the sea; sharp splinter of a rock. Possibly related to Skelf n.² Also in the later Sc. dialect.] A skerry, a ridge of rock on the seashore, usually covered at high water. = Skerry n.Chiefly in Doug., translating Latin murex, scopulus and saxum. 1513 Doug. v iv 89.
On the scharp skelleis [L. acuto in murice] … Smait with syk fard, the arys in flendris lap 1513 Doug. v iv 114.
Wreland on skelleys [Ruddim. skellyis; L. in scopulo … alto] and ondepys of the see 1513 Doug. xi vii 9.
The ryveris … brokkyn sound, Brystand on skelleis [L. saxa] our thir demmyt lynnys 1513 Doug. xi xii 65.
The skelleys at the costis bay 1513 Doug. v xiv 70.
Skelleis 1513 Doug. vii ix 102. 1608 Douglas Bequest IV 3 Nov.
The tenement and yard pertening to Andro Tolling, at the wast the skelle and full sie at the south 1641 Pittenweem Ann. 40.
To big the pier head and back the same up to the skellie at the middis of the aiken wark

b. As a place-name element. 1577 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 38b.
Ane gait throw Merteine Corstorphynis land fra the quheit skellie to the brumfald