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.

Skift, Skyft, n.¹ [ME (chiefly north.) and e.m.E. scift (Cursor M.), skiffte (York Myst.), skyft (c1450), skyfte (Malory), ON skipti.] a. A shift or change. b. A share or division. See also *Kappaskift in Additions and Corrections to Vol. III. —a. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1719.
The depe se … now as hillis hie … Now set laich with ane nothir skift —b. 1509 Rec. Earld. Orkney 84.
And schew ilk penny land, in skyft and towmal be it self of the fyff d. land 1686 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXII 186.
The saids haill meadows to goe about yeirlie according to the said division, according to the vulgar country terme called meadow skift 1707 Sc. Hist. Rev. XVII 35.
Ane nott off the queens ley landes in the town of Skeatown in quhat sheads and skifts it lyes