Skew-fisted, adj. phr. (old).—'Awkward, ungainly' (B. E.).
Skew-gee, subs. (colloquial).—A
squint: as adj. = crooked, skew'd,
squinting.
Skewgy-mewgy, subs. phr. (nautical).—See
quot.
1886. St. James's Gaz., 7 Ap. The skipper rejoices in a steady drizzling rain, which keeps a certain caustic composition, known to yachtsmen by the mysterious name of skewgy-mewgy, damp and active under the scrubbing-brushes and holy-stones of her crew.
Skewing, subs. (gilders). In pl.
= perquisites; makings (q.v.).
[Properly skew (gilders') = to
remove superfluous gold leaf, and
to make good defects.] Analogous
terms are cabbage (tailors');
blue-pigeon (plumbers'); menavelings
(beggars'); fluff
(railway clerks'); pudding, or
jam (common).
Skew-the-dew, subs. phr. (common).—A
splay-footed person; a
bumble-foot (q.v.).
Skewvow, adj. (old).—'Crooked,
inclining to one side' (Grose):
also all askew.
Skid (or Skiv), subs. (common).—A
sovereign: see Rhino.
2. (American).—A volunteer; a militiaman.
To put on the skid, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To speak or act with caution.
1885. Punch, 31 Jan., 60. I could pitch you a yarn on that text; but I fear I must put on the skid.
Skiff, subs. (common).—A leg [?].
1891. M. Advertiser, 6 Ap. Now, 16s. 3d. wanted a lot of earning, more especially when a man had to drive an "old crock" with "skinny skiffs."—None of them could deny that the "S.T." cabs were horsed by very old racehorses, bad platers, and what were termed "chin backed horses."
Skiffle, subs. (common).—A great
hurry: cf. scuffle.
Skill, subs. (football).—A goal
kicked between posts.
Skillet, subs. (nautical).—A ship's
cook.
Skillungers (The), subs. (military).—The
6th (Inniskilling)
Dragoons: also "The Old
Inniskillings."
Skilly (or Skilligolee), subs.
(formerly nautical and prison:
now common).—1. A thin broth
or soup of oatmeal and water.
Hence (2) anything of little or
no value. Skilly and toke =
prison fare.
1846. Marryat, Peter Simple, xi. I am not worth a skillagolee, and that is the reason which induces me to condescend to serve his Majesty.
1857. Snowden, Magistrate's Assistant (3rd Ed.), 446, s.v. Skilly. The broth in prisons.
1870. Chambers's Miscellany, No. 77, 6. Burgoo, or as it was sportively called, skillagallee, was oatmeal boiled in water to the consistency of hasty pudding.
1871. Figaro, 7 Oct. They christened the latter "Cardwell's skilly," and a course of it would soon turn our Life Guards into the lightest of cavalry.
1883. D. Telegraph, 19 May, 5, 4. England did not wish her to eat skilly, and to wear the "parish dress."
1889. Sportsman, 2 Jan. The worthy ones who play hole-and-corner with society are made to partake of the toke of contrition, and the skilly of repentance.
1902. Desart, Herne Lodge Myst., xvi. The thought of skilly . . . I had very vague ideas . . . came into my mind.
Skilt, subs. (common).—In pl. =
trousers: see Kicks.
