▪ I. † skey, n.1 Obs. rare.
A kind of boat.
| 1507 Will of Gorman (Somerset Ho.), A boote otherwise called a Skeye. 1542 Admir. Ct. Warrant Bks. 1 Sept., Navicula vocata a skey. |
▪ II. ‖ skey, n.2 S. African.
(skeɪ)
Also skea.
[Du. schei tie-piece.]
One of a pair of wooden bars passing through each end of an ox-yoke, to which the neckstraps are fixed.
| 1850 R. G. Cumming Hunter's Life S. Afr. (1902) 7/1 In inspanning, the yoke is placed on the back of the neck of the ox, with one of these skeys on either side. Ibid. 10/2 The oxen..spring about in the yoke,..invariably snapping the straps and yoke-skeas. 1863 W. C. Baldwin Afr. Hunting iv. 103 From the beams hung Kaffir ropes,..old saddles, yokes, skeys, neckstraps, and all apparatus for wagoning. |
▪ III. † skey, a. Obs.—0
[var. of skeigh a.]
Skittish.
Cf. the vb. skey (of a horse) in Brockett (1829).
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 444/2 Schey, or skey, as hors, or styȝtyl. Ibid. 457/2 Skey, as hors, umbraticus. |
▪ IV. † skey, v. Sc. Obs. rare.
[Of obscure origin; perh. two different words.]
1. intr. To get clear, to sheer off.
| c 1470 Henry Wallace x. 873 Bot fra the Scottis thai mycht nocht than off skey, The clyp so sar on athir burd thai wey. |
2. trans. ? To startle, come upon suddenly.
| 1539 in Pitcairn Crim. Trials I. 220* Ȝe slew his serwandis doggis þat skeyit ȝou quhare ȝe lay. |
▪ V. skey
obs. f. sky.