Skippet, skip′et, n. a round flat box for holding a seal, which used to be attached to the parchment by ribbons passing through the lid.
Skirl, skirl, v.t. and v.i. (Scot.) to shriek shrilly.—n. a shrill cry.—n. Skir′ling, a shrill sound.
Skirmish, skėr′mish, n. an irregular fight between two small parties: a contest.—v.i. to fight slightly or irregularly.—ns. Skir′misher, a soldier belonging to troops dispersed to cover front or flank, and prevent surprises; Skir′mishing. [O. Fr. escarmouche—Old High Ger. skerman, scirman, to fight.]
Skirr, skėr, v.t. (Shak.) to ramble over, to scour.—v.i. to run in haste. [Scurry.]
Skirret, skir′et, n. an edible water-parsnip: a perennial plant, native to China and Japan. [Sugar-root.]
Skirt, skėrt, n. the part of a garment below the waist: a woman's garment like a petticoat: the edge of any part of the dress: border: margin: extreme part.—v.t. to border: to form the edge of.—v.i. to be on the border: to live near the extremity.—ns. Skirt′-danc′ing, a form of ballet-dancing in which the flowing skirts are waved about in the hands; Skir′ter, a huntsman who dodges his jumps by going round about; Skir′ting, strong material made up in lengths for women's skirts: skirting-board; Skir′ting-board, the narrow board next the floor round the walls of a room.—Divided skirt, a skirt in the form of loose trousers. [Scand., Ice. skyrta, a shirt. A doublet of shirt.]
Skit, skit, n. any sarcastic squib, lampoon, or pamphlet. [Ice. skúti, a taunt.]
Skite, skīt, v.i. (Scot.) to glide or slip—also Skyte.—n. a sudden blow: a trick.—vs.i. Skit, to leap aside: to caper; Skit′ter, to skim lightly over: to void thin excrement: to draw a baited hook along the surface of water. [Scand., Sw. skutta, to leap, skjuta, to shoot.]
Skittish, skit′ish, adj. unsteady, light-headed, easily frightened: hasty, volatile, changeable: wanton.—adv. Skitt′ishly.—n. Skitt′ishness. [Skite.]
Skittles, skit′lz, n.pl. a game of ninepins in which a flattened ball or thick rounded disc is thrown to knock down the pins—played in a Skitt′le-all′ey, or -ground. In American Bowls, the game is played with ten pins arranged in the form of a triangle, the missile being rolled along a carefully constructed wooden floor.—v.t. Skitt′le, to knock down.—n Skitt′le-ball, the ball thrown in playing at skittles. [A variant of shittle or shuttle.]