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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SAKELESS, adj. Also sai(c)kless; sa(c)kless; seckless (Dmb. 1827 W. Taylor Poems 57); sa(u)chless (Hogg). [′sekləs, ′sɑkləs]

1. Innocent, not guilty of sin or wrong-doing (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928); Slk. 1950). With o, of the crime, etc. Also transf. Obs. in Eng. In 1850 quot. transf. to mean of which the sufferer was undeserving.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. v. iii.:
They'd smoor the sakeless orphan in her bed.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 115:
But gin they anes brak loose, they winna spare Sakeless or guilty.Sc. 1802 Scott Minstrelsy II. 45:
And wherever that saikless knight lies slain, The candles will burn bright.Ags. 1820 R. Mudie Glenfergus xxiv.:
Ye were sakeless o' the accident.Gsw. 1832 Fife Herald (25 Oct.):
The prisoner on leaving the dock said, “I am sakeless of the crime.”Clc. 1850 J. Crawford Doric Lays 11:
The saikless sorrows that oppress'd Dunrod's wee wander'd bairn.Sc. a.1894 Stevenson New Poems (1918) 114:
Aft hae I gane, a saikless maid.Ags. 1932 A. Gray Arrows 54:
My honour I've kept, as befits a maid; I'm saikless, as babe in the cradle laid.Dundee 1991 Ellie McDonald The Gangan Fuit 10:
Luv - I ken ye bi yer sang
an saikless as a bairn
I walk the caller gress.

2. Of persons, animals or things: inoffensive, harmless, guileless. Also in n.Eng. dial. Now chiefly liter. Adv. saiklesslie (Sc. 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ i. x.).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 14:
The cries an' yaumers gar'd the thief let gang The sakless beast, but not without great wrang.Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems 358:
But ah! Lord help the sakeless saul Wha is forced to bide the frost and caul.Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poetry I. 228:
June's strong red beam, December's snaw, Fell saickless at thy side.Rnf. 1813 G. MacIndoe Wandering Muse 212:
Nor sair the sakeless woodie twine.Ags. 1819 A. Balfour Campbell I. xiv.:
That poor sakeless chiel upon the hillock beside ye.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 202:
Never was sakeless dask o' timmer Sae persecute and put to cummer.Dmf. 1836 A. Cunningham Lord Roldan I. xii.:
It shall endow a house and a hame for the helpless mad, and the sackless insane.Ags. 1920 A. Gray Songs from Heine 24:
Upon your saikless young hert The winter's snaw lies deep.Ayr. 1927 J. Carruthers A Man Beset i. ii.:
I was a wicked woman that day, Andie, and you nae mair nor a sakeless lad.

3. Lacking, destitute (of). Cf. Eng. innocent sim. used.Sc. 1821 Bannockburn I. i.:
A plain country has a sackless appearance to me.Uls. 1900 T. Given Poems 145:
Some wur bedeck't in corduroy, An' sakeless o' a shoe.

4. Without sense or gumption, silly, foolish, lacking drive or energy, sloppy, careless (Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Rxb. 1942 Zai; Dmf. 1960). Also in n.Eng. dial.Dmf. 1820 Blackwood's Mag. (May) 158, 161:
Sworn a bit o' ought that's eatable will thae sackless sinners get. . . . For all sae saft and sackless as ye look, I wadnae trust myself with ye.Slk. 1824 Hogg Justified Sinner 301:
Ye silly, sauchless, Cameronian cuif! is that a' that ye ken about the wiles an doings o' the prince o' the air?Dmf. 1878 R. W. Thom Jock o' the Knowe 10:
Sackless he sat in his elbow chair An' looked wi' a dim bamboozled ee.Sc. 1951 Scots Mag. (May) 87:
His brither Philip, a sackless chiel.