skewbald, a. and n.
(ˈskjuːbɒld, -bɔːld)
Also 7 skewbal'd, 8–9 -ball, 9 squebald.
[Cf. skewed a.1 and piebald.]
A. adj. Of animals, esp. horses: Irregularly marked with white and brown or red, or some similar colour.
Properly distinct from piebald (see quot. 1866), which is sometimes inexactly used for it.
| 1654 J. Cleveland Poems 38 Th' Apparatour upon his skew-bal'd horse. 1692 London Gaz. No. 2777/4 A skew-bald Gelding about 14 hands. 1702 Ibid. No. 3870/4 A Strawberry Gelding.., with a skew bald Face (the white coming over his off Eye). 1789 Mrs. Piozzi Journ. France II. 20 Yesterday however shewed me what I knew not had existed—a skew-ball or pyeballed ass. 1825 Hone Every-day Bk. I. 992 Captain, a fallow and white dog, with skewbald face. 1866 W. Watson Youatt's Horse xv. 346 When the white is mixed with black it is called ‘pie-bald’, with bay the name of ‘skew-bald’ is given to it. 1876 World V. 19 A middle-aged gentleman of hermit habits on a skewbald cob. 1884 Liverpool Echo 2 May, Thoroughbred Horse,..beautifully spotted red roan, squebald and piebald. |
B. n. A skewbald horse.
| 1863 G. A. Sala Capt. Dangerous I. iii. 47 She was to have her pony, with John coachman on the skewball, sent to fetch her every Saturday. 1883 Times 30 May 5/1 Mr. Frisby's skewbald was at some disadvantage in this class. |