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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.

SKAVE, adj., v.¹ Also skaev, skeave, skjaeve (Sh. 1899 Shetland News (4 Nov.)); sk(a)iv-; ske(e)v, sk(a)ef; skyve-. [sk(j)ev, skef]

I. adj. Oblique, aslant, askew, off the straight, lit. and fig. (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1908 Jak. (1928), skev, skef, Sh. 1970). Also adv. Combs. skev-fitted, splay-footed, shambling, of a horse, skev-keptet, -moothed, with a distorted mouth, having a protruding under-jaw (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)). Also in deriv. forms skevset, skeb(s)et (Jak.), skepsit, uneven, awry (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.), of a foot: twisted, splay (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928).Sh. 1895 J. Hunter Last Foy 3:
Ta keep wis right whin we wid gang skave.Sh. 1919 T. Manson Peat Comm. II. 31:
Shu comes ower far doon ower dee broo, an heth, I tink shu's skave too.Sh. 1961 New Shetlander No. 58. 25:
Da heavy bag göd skaev on 'is back.

Derivs. sk(a)ivie, skevie, skeevy, hare-brained, daft, mentally deranged (s.Sc. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl.; Sc. 1825 Jam., skaivie).Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet vii.:
“He means mad”. “Ye have it. That is not clean skivie.”Lnk. 1893 J. Crawford Verses 21:
They cluster roon him left an' richt, A' nearly skeevy wi' delicht.

II. v. In ppl. form skived, skyved, and irreg. skivent, over to one side, off the straight, tilted (Ork. 1922 J. Firth Reminisc. 154; ne.Sc., Lth., Kcb. 1970).