▪ I. skail, n. north. dial. and Sc.
(skeɪl)
Also 4 skaile, 8 skyle; 4, 7 scaill, 9 scail, scale.
[f. the vb.]
1. A dispersal or separation; a scattering.
| 13.. Cursor M. 15541 (Gött.), Þis ilke night sal be a skaile bi-tuix ȝu and me. 1625 in Lang Hist. Scot. (1904) III. i. 8 There would be a scaill among our Counsellors and the Sessioners. 1808 Jamieson s.v., The skail of the kirk. 1837 Voluntary Church Mag. Jan. 12 The skail of the kirk and the dismissal of the court happening at the same time. 1871 J. Richardson Cummerland Talk Ser. i. 47 They wad mak a bonnie scail o' thur scrafflen things 'at git silver cups. |
2. A dispersed company; a scattered party.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xv. 337 He Saw bot the fleand scaill, perfay, And thame that sesyt in the pray. 1819 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd (1827) 160 Within the yetts, that stood unlockit To catch the skails, that..Cam' rushin' in. |
3. Mining. (See quots.)
| 1860 Eng. & For. Mining Gloss. (ed. 2) 62 Scale of air—a small portion of air abstracted from the main current. 1883 Gresley Gloss. Coal-m., Scale, a small portion of the ventilative current in a mine passing through a certain-sized aperture. |
▪ II. skail, v. north. dial. and Sc.
(skeɪl)
Forms: 4–6, 9 scail (6 scaile), 5–6 scaill (6 schaill), scayl; 4– skail, 4–6 skaill (6 skeill), 4–7 skaile, 4–6, 9 skayl, 9 Sc. skell; 4– scale, skale, 9 scaale; 9 skyle (scyle), skile, etc.
[Of obscure origin; the correspondence in form and meaning with OIr. scáilim (later Ir. sgaoilim) to scatter, is prob. accidental, as the early adoption and extensive use of a Gaelic word of this type would be very remarkable.
A more likely source would be an OScand. *skeila, related by ablaut to ON. skilja to separate, divide; but there appears to be no trace of such a form.]
I. 1. trans. To scatter or disperse (a thing or collection of things).
| a 1300 Cursor M. 26021 Þis reuth es like a castand gin, Scailand a hepe es samen o sin. Ibid. 27899 For all þat euer festis wiit, Drunkennes þan skailes it. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints ii. (Paulus) 378 Here slane has bene mony men, Of quham þe hedis in placis sere ar scalyt. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. viii. 2443 Qwha skalis his thoucht in syndrynes, In althynge it is þe les. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 123 Gif the vassallis be nocht with thair lord, thai ar agaynis him, and scailis his gudis. c 1500 Kennedy Passion of Christ 14 Haill, beyme to skaill of ded þe dirk vmbrakill! 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. II. 453 Lyk a certane sone, new risen to skail and skattir the Cloudis of al tumulte. 1826 Galt Lairds i, It has skail't the daunert wits o' the master. 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 990 This is termed skailing the air; for otherwise the gas would kindle at the furnace. 1853 G. Johnston Nat. Hist. E. Bord. I. 125 The pains that Nature takes to ‘scale’ her species. |
| absol. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 123 He that gaderis nocht with him scaylis. |
† b. To spread (a rumour, tale, etc.). Obs.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce v. 447 Bot the tithandis var scalit sone, Of the deid Douglas had done. c 1470 Henry Wallace xi. 1300 Throuch braid Bretane the woice tharoff was scalyt. 1513 Douglas æneid iv. v. 32 This ilk wenche..Glaidlie this rumour gan throw the peple skaill. |
c. To scatter or spread (hay, manure, mole-hills, etc.) over the ground. Also, to clear (land) of mole-hills by scattering them.
| (a) 1641 Best Farm. Bks. (Surtees) 78 Then att night..hee..scaled the hey aboute in little heapes. 1764 Museum Rust. II. 247 They lead out their fold-garth manure, and scale, or spread it immediately from the waggon. 1781 J. Hutton Tour to Caves (ed. 2) Gloss. 95 Skale, or Skail, to scatter or throw abroad, as molehills are when levelled. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 143 Some..skail, Wi' eager nebs, the dusky frozen turf. 1893 Heslop Northumbld. Gloss. s.v. Scale, Manure is dropped on land from a cart in isolated little heaps which are subsequently scaled, that is, scattered evenly over the surface. |
| (b) 1822 T. Bewick Mem. 14 To ‘scale’ the pastures and meadows, that is to spread the mole hills over the surface of the ground. 1827 E. Mackenzie Hist. Newc. II. 713 They are also required to scale, mole, and dress the Cow Hill. |
d. dial. To rake out; to clear with a poker.
| 1790 Grose Prov. Gloss. Suppl. s.v. Scale, Scale the Oven. 1867 Brierley Marlocks i. i, The youth with the poker commenced ‘scaling’ the fire. |
2. To pour out; to shed; to spill.
| 1513 Douglas æneid iv. iii. 59, I sall vpon thaim a mirk schour doun schaill Of weit and wynd. 1549 Compl. Scotl. iii. 27 Them that settis ther felicite to skattir & to skail blude. 1578 Reg. Privy Council Scot. II. 695 [They] skaillit and sparpallit the meill..in the said burne. 1728 Ramsay Robt., Richy, & Sandy 80 Red-yards, ye ken.., Had skail'd of ours, but mair of his ain blood. 1828 Moir Mansie Wauch xix, Scores of folks driving about with pitcherfulls of water, and scaling half of it on one another and the causeway. 1894 A. Laing Poems 17 (E.D.D.), Then glaiket things may scale their tea Upon oor Sunday braws. |
| fig. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1862) I. cxx. 299 Alas! I have skailed more of Christ's grace,..than I have brought with me. |
| absol. 1641 Fergusson Scot. Prov. No. 51, An old seck is ay skailing. 1896 Barrie Tommy xxxvii. 441 It's a small offence to skail on a clarty floor. |
b. To rend, spoil. rare—1.
| 1768 Ross Helenore 28 Her gartens tint, her shoon a' skelt and torn. |
† 3. To spread out, distend. Obs.—1
| 1513 Douglas æneid viii. xii. 83 Scaland schetis, and haldand rowme at large. |
4. To separate, remove. rare—1.
| a 1833 Queen's Marie vi. in Child Ballads III. 393/1 The king is to the Abbey gane, To pu the Abbey-tree, To scale the babe frae Marie's heart. |
II. 5. To break up (an assembly, school, etc.) by dismissal; † to disband (an army).
| a 1300 Cursor M. 13850 Wit þis þai scaild þair semble, Bot iesus went fra þat cite. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. ix. 1440 Ay þai qwhit ȝow lil for lal, Or þat þai skail þar marcat all. 1487 Sc. Acts, Jas. III (1814) II. 177/2 The Shereff sal..charge þaim to cess, & skale þair gadering. 1582 St. Papers Hen. VIII, IV. 510 note, Unto suche tyme as the Kyng retorne homewardes, and scail his host. 1541 Ibid. V. 199 We ar contentit þat baith ye armyis in all partis be skalit. 1598 Extr. Aberd. Reg. (1848) II. 174 Gif the said schooll be dissolvit and skaillit, it will tend to the preiudice of the youth of this town. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 43 Stick baith the sermon an' the tune, An' skale the kirk. 1886 ‘H. Haliburton’ Horace 11 Then Patie's waukened wi' a kick, An' skells the meetin'. |
| refl. 1375 Barbour Bruce xii. 465 Ȝe sall se als soyne at thai..sall brek aray, And scale thame, our harness to ta. |
† b. To break up (one's home). Obs.
| c 1550 Rolland Crt. Venus i. 551 Men & wemen hes skalit thair hale houshald. 1567 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 516 Diverse..landis are laid waist, and mony honest houshaldis constrenit to skaill thair houssis. 1637 Rutherford Lett. i. clxxxii. (1664) 352 Were it not that want paineth me, I should have skailed house & gone a begging long since. |
† c. To annul (a proclamation). Obs.—1
| a 1583 Sir J. Balfour Practicks (1754) 345 To proceid aganis ony persoun that aucht to keip proclamatioun, the samin standand vndischargit or skaillit. |
† 6. To compel (an army, etc.) to scatter or disperse; to put to flight, to rout.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce vi. 428 And Douglas..full egirly Assalit, and scalit thame hastely. Ibid. vii. 299 Fortoun has traualit vs this day, That scalit vs so suddandly. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. ix. 1492 Befor þe laif þai knychtis þen..Pressit þaim fast to skayl þat rowt. 1482 Caxton Trevisa's Higden iii. xiv, And there his men were beten..and skayled euery from other. 1533 Bellenden Livy i. x. (S.T.S.) I. 57 To skail þame in sindry partis he began to fle. 1581 Satir. Poems Reform. xliv. 328 Iudas sall Iuge ȝou, and God sall scale ȝour nest. a 1600 Floddan F. viii. (1664) 73 The gray gooswing did work such greif, And did the Scots so skoure and skaile. 1732 E. Erskine Serm. Wks. 1871 I. 485 By the fall of Adam the family was skailt. 1843 Coquetdale Fishing Songs (1852) 109 Deil scale the byke frae Redlees Syke. |
† b. To raise (a siege). Obs.
| c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. ix. 2970 Sa sall we pruff Þat sege to skail, or gar remuff. 1533 Bellenden Livy ii. vi. (S.T.S.) I. 147 How Caius mucius..causit porsena to scale his sege. 1573 Satir. Poems Reform. xxxix. 60 To Glasgow [they] past with mony trapit steid, Thair skalit the sege. |
III. 7. In passive: To be in a scattered or dispersed condition.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 22304 Cummen I am to gedir yow Þat has been scaild ai to nu. 1375 Barbour Bruce xii. 466 Quhen we se thame scalit swa, Prik we than on thame hardely. c 1470 Henry Wallace v. 282 The chas was gret, scalyt our breid and lenth. 1513 Douglas æneid vi. xi. 58 The byssy beis..On diuers colorit flouris scalit wyde. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 45 Money of the earleis freindis being skailed of the toune. |
8. intr. Of persons, assemblies, etc.: To separate, disperse, break up, scatter.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 2524 Þair folk scaild ai-quare a-boute. 1375 Barbour Bruce v. 93 Thai scalit throu the toune in hy. 1498 Extr. Rec. Burgh Edin. (1869) 75 That all scuillis scail and nane to be haldin. 1542 St. Papers Hen. VIII, V. 215 note, He mette..thayme of Lowdean scayllande and goinge homewarde. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) II. 120 This airmie skailled and passit na forder at that tyme. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1675) i. cxlvii. 287 How soon will this House skail! 1724 Ramsay's Tea-t. Misc. (1733) II. 211 Ay Jeany, Jeany, ye gade to the kirk; But when it skail'd where could thou be? 1822 Galt Provost xxxii, The grammar school was at the time skailing. 1858–61 Ramsay Remin. (1870) p. x, I was just stan'ing till the kirk had scaled. 1897 Crockett Lad's Love xvii. 179 A miscellaneous pour of lads and lasses almost like a kirk skailing. |
| Prov. 1641 Fergusson Scot. Prov., Bread's house skaild never. 1721 Kelly Scot. Prov. 20 ‘A Bread House skail'd never’... Spoken when we have Bread, and perhaps want something finer. 1862 A. Hislop Prov. Scot. 40 Bread's house skail'd never. A full or hospitable house never wants visitors. |
9. Of things: To spread or disperse; to pour down or be spilled.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 18836 His hare..Apon his sculdres ligand wele, Bi his eres skailand sumdele. Ibid. 26995 Quat es man lijf bot fam, And a rek þat..skailles wit a windes blast. c 1470 Henry Wallace vii. 467 The stynk scalyt off ded bodyis sa wyde. 1513 Douglas æneid xiii. Prol. 22 The recent dew begynnis doun to scaill. 1599 A. Hume Day Estivall 62 The clouds of raine From tops of mountaines skails. 1895 N. Roy Horseman's Word xxxiv, It wantit little till it would be skailin' ower the tap on's [= top of us]. |
Hence skailed ppl. a., scattered, spilled.
| c 1470 Henry Wallace x. 691 Feill scalyt folk to thaim will son ranew. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xiii. 30 Sum standis besyd and skaild law keppis. |
▪ III. skail(e), skaille
obs. forms of scale.