▪ I. † skire, a. Obs.
Forms: 3, 5 skir, 5, 8–9 skire; 4–6, 9 skyre, 5 skyr.
[a. ON. sk{iacu}rr (Norw. and MSw. skir) clear, pure, = OE. sc{iacu}r shire a. In later use only Sc.]
1. Clear of, free from, something morally bad.
| c 1200 Ormin 8015 Þatt genge þatt wass milde & meoc,..& off galnesse skir & fre. Ibid. 12194 All þatt ahhte off eorþliȝ þing Þatt Godess þeowwess haffdenn..i þiss middell ærd Iss all skir fra þe deofell. |
2. a. Of water: Pure, clear.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 1776 Þay..Asscaped ouer þe skyre watteres & scaþed þe walles. a 1400–50 Alexander 2119 Scamandra þe slire [read skire: Dubl. skyr] flode þe scriptour it callis. |
b. Of colours, flames, etc.: Clear; bright.
| a 1400–50 Alexander 467 To skyre skarlet hewe skyftis hire face. c 1400 Destr. Troy 12500 [The lightning] skirmyt in the skewes with a skyre low. a 1585 Polwart Flyting w. Montgomerie 533 With flying fyreflaughts burning bright and skyre [v.r. schyre]. |
3. Conspicuous or notable, esp. in respect of harmful qualities.
This sense, which appears only in the Destr. Troy (cf. also ll. 12700 and 13616) is prob. due to the requirements of alliteration.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 8897 In anythyng..Þat hase skapet vs to skathe, ne to skyre harme. Ibid. 13397 Ascatus the skir, þat skathill was in elde. |
4. (See quot. and cf. skire adv.)
| 1825 Jamieson Suppl., Skire, Skyre, pure, mere; as ‘a skire fool’. |
▪ II. † skire, v. Obs.—1
In 4 skir.
[a. ON. sk{iacu}ra (Norw. and MSw. skira), f. sk{iacu}rr adj.: see prec.]
refl. To cleanse, clear, or purify (oneself).
| a 1300 Cursor M. 28058 Þat þai ripe wele þair aun boke, And skir þam sua wit þair in-sight Þair conscience..clene and bright. |
▪ III. skire, adv. Sc.
Also 6 skyr, 8 skier, 9 skyre, scyre.
[See skire a.]
Sheer; quite; altogether. Also ellipt. quite mad.
| 1581 J. Hamilton in Cath. Tract. (S.T.S.) 85 Sum in Angus exponing the same ran skyr daft. 1766 A. Nicol Poems 95 (E.D.D.), Our land is now quite skier naked made. 1822 Howden in Edwards Mod. Sc. Poets Ser. ii. (1881) 35 ‘The man's gane skire’, muttered Matt. 1825 Jamieson Suppl. s.v. Skeir, In Fife..the phrase is skyremad, i.e., quite insane. |