▪ I. scarth, n.1
(skɑːθ)
Also 4–5 skarth.
[a. ON. skarð neut., notch, cleft, mountain pass (MSw. skardh neut., notch, diminution, ruin, skardher masc., broken piece) = OE. sceard shard, sherd.]
† 1. A fragment, sherd. Obs.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter xxi. 15 My vertu..is wex vile as a pot scarth. 13.. Childh. Jesus 340 in Archiv Stud. neu. Spr. LXXIV. 331 His pechere he brake..And Jhesu gadirde þe skarthes. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xii. 160 The mylk pycher was layde, The skarthis was the tokyn. |
| fig. 1482 Caxton Trevisa's Higden iii. xviii. 132 b, Both the wyues..chidden him alto scarthes by one assente. |
2. A cliff, a bare rock. dial.
| 1863 Baring-Gould Iceland iii. 45 To our right was a bold scarth of dark rock thronged with ravens. 1869 Lonsdale Gloss., Scar, Scarth, a line of rock bare of vegetation. |
▪ II. † scarth, n.2 Obs.
[Altered form of scrat n.]
An abortion, monster; a hermaphrodite.
| 1508 Dunbar Flyting 58 Revin, raggit ruke, and full of rebaldrie, Scarth fra scorpione, scaldit in scurrilitie. 1508 ― Tua Mariit Wemen 92 Ane skabbit skarth, ane scorpioun. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 145 Of the skartht [c 1603 scratche (MS. B.), c 1598 scarcht (MS. I.)] yat was born of baith the kyndis maile and female. |