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.
Quotation dates: 1923
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SKINCH, v., n. [skɪnʃ]
I. v. 1. To purloin, take away furtively (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1970). Cf. Kinsh, v.2
2. To win or acquire a number of articles in quick succession, to swipe, esp. in a game.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B. 273:
Jock's fairly skinchin' thae bools.
II. n. A botched or bad piece of workmanship, a scamped job, esp. in phr. a skinch o a job (Fif., Lnl. 1970).
[Extended usages of Eng. dial. skinch, to be parsimonious or stingy; in marbles, to cheat by shooting from too near. Of uncertain orig., phs. a conflation of skimp or skin and pinch.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Skinch v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/skinch>
