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.

Skip, Skyp, Scoup, n. Also: skipp. [Late ME and e.m.E. skyppe (Prompt. Parv.), skippe (c1450), skip (1647); Skip v.] a. An act of skipping; a short bounding or leaping movement. Also fig. (The K. Hart ex. may rather be an instance of Scope n.² 1 b, a purpose, aim or intention.) b. transf. ? An act of wantonness or folly; ? an instance of bad behaviour. —a. a1500 K. Hart 856.
A crudge bak that cairfull cative [sc. Senility] bure … But scoup or skift his craft is all to scayth c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 19.
For mirth of May wyth skippis and wyth happis The birdis sang 1513 Doug. x v 77.
Sche … departand with a skyp, By hir rycht hand schowys furth the schyp 1513 Doug. xii xi 162.
[A boulder] Halding his fard the discens of the bra With mony skyp and stend baith to and fra —fig. 1649 Last and Heavenly Speeches of Viscount Kenmuir 17.
The kingdom of heaven is not gotten with a skip or leap, but with much seeking, thrumbling and thrusting —b. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1706.
Licht skirt for all thy skippis Had I thé in my grippis, on thé I suld be wrokin a1568 Bann. MS 141b/50.
Sen ȝe stummer nocht for my skippis … I byd a quasill of ȝour quhippis