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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.

Slip, n.³ Also: slippe, sliep. [Late ME and e.m.E. slippe a twig, etc. (1495), slip a scion (1588); slyp the edge of a garment (Prompt. Parv.), a strip (of material, etc.) (1555), a quantity of yarn (1647), MDu., MLG, slippe cut, slit, strip, lappet, skirt, etc. Also in the later dial.] a. The skirt or flaps of a saddle. Also attrib.See also SND Slip n.² 1 for a further example. 1586 Treas. Acc. MS 59b.
Stark silkin pointis to hald doun the covering to the girdis and to hald on the slipattrib. 1647 Edinb. Test. LXIII 180.
Fyve saidles with slip coverings

b. A quantity of yarn; a skein or hank of yarn. 1598 Edinb. Test. XXXI 398b.
Hir haill claythtis scho brocht with hir and sex slippis of small lynning ȝairne 1616 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 8 July.
That everie reill quhairupoun linnen yairne is reillit, sall be half ane ell, & half ane quarter lenth, making the slip of yairne 1628 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II 258.
He avowed that he sould ather hang her in a slippe of yairne or in a towell 1632 Edinb. Test. LV 177b.
Sex slippes lining sex slippes hardin and thrie slippes swingling tow ȝearne 1645 Edinb. Test. LXI 199.
Fyv slippis of round ȝairne pryc thairof xx s. 1647 Edinb. Test. LXIII 107b.
Aucht slipes of round hardine ȝairne 1675 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 419. 1693 Household Bk. Gr. Baillie 165.
For lint spining for shits 6 slips in the pound 14 s. p. lb.

c. Of a tablecloth: ? Some special application of a or b above. 1635 Haddington Corr. 300.
Ane rid skarlett tablecloth shewed with bouk and slips

d. A cut or incision. 1703 Dunferm. Ann. 374.
Discharges all manner of cutting or carving of kine or oxen except only one sliep on one of the soulders and one squint cutt [etc.] … also all cutting of sheep except an even in score in the shoulder and a sliep in the rumpell