Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SKILM, n. Also skjilm. A skin or deposit of cream or milk sticking to the inside of an unwashed milk-pail (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl., Sh. 1970). Hence skilmet, coated with such a deposit, having a yellowish or smudged appearance, of something badly washed (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)), skilmy, of milk: tainted or soured by being kept in dirty vessels (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1908 Jak. (1928)). [′skɪləm]
[Appar. a conflation of Skim, n., and Norw. skimmel, mould.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Skilm n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/skilm>
