Background: As a youth, when my folks’d ask me to sweep the floor they’d always give me the admonition, “Make sure you don’t skite the dirt!”
Skite, I took to mean not controlling the dirt I was sweeping, but shooting it across the floor.
OED, Webster’s have no entry. Has anyone heard this word used? In this context? Cite?
“Skite” is, or at least was a word. It’s part of the compound word “blatherskite”. Although there are competing theories, I find the one that says it’s a form of “shit/shite” convincing, as it suggests the original meaning of “blatherskite” is “to babble 9words worth) shit”
This doesn’t seem to be quite the same as your meaning, but its association with “dirt” suggests it might be related.
But to be honest, I can’t tell from your post what the meaning actually is. What the heck does it mean to “skite the dirt”? What would you be doing to it?
What’s the pronunciation? Did they say “skeet”? Here “skeet” can mean sliding something across the floor quickly (like, say, a hockey puck).
I gather from the OP that skiting the dirt means to sweep so vigorously that the dirt is violently disturbed, causing it to scatter instead of being pushed sedately forward by the broom.
Sorry, 90.
Skite pronouned like “site” or “right.”
Correct, Otto.
In Canberra, to skite is to dash around with wheels on your feet.
If there is curling in Australia, your example could be some cryptic reference to the sweepers’ manic scrubbing with their brooms.
Eh, I got nothin’.
FWIW Urban Dictionary has a listing for “skite” meaning “to slide in an uncontrolled fashion.” Which is fairly close to the non-slang word “skitter.”
It’s used in that manner in Scotland. Rhymes with shite.
The OED does have it, as a verb and as a noun. The verb is defined as, ‘To shoot or dart swiftly, esp. in an oblique direction; to run lightly and rapidly; to make off hastily’, with it being noted that, ‘This verb, and the corresponding n., have much currency in dial. use…’.
Unless your folks were using it in its other meaning, which is, ‘To void excrement’…
In Ireland, I have often heard “on a skite”, meaning a pointless fun outing, like a junket or gallivanting. Googling the expression suggests it might be used like this in Scotland, Australia and New Zealand. This seems similar in meaning to the OP’s use, and could also possibly (speculatively) be connected to “blatherskite” as in talking that isn’t going anywhere in particular.
Thanks, Otto. I’ve added that site to my favorites, though this seems to be related to Wiki. It is the 6th entry, but the definition is correct.
I took the word “skitter” and looked it up in Webster’s New Collegiate and note that it is a verb: [prob. freq. of E dial. skite to move quickly]. That seems to be right on the mark.
Who knew that Mom was a master of archaic English?!
Thanks all.
Pipeline welders have a distinct jargon,the terms of which are understood nationally ( U.S.)
One of them is “skating the bead”,heard around the Northeast,“scoot” amongst the Bayou and some of the Yankees nawth o’ Mameaux.
I heard skite a couple times.In all cases it means to seal the bevels at highest possible speed.The resulting weld is thin as tissue.Contractors love it.
Skite is also the name of a now discontinued line of kites made by the Frisbee company.
And mine’s broken, dammit.
Three entries in the OED.
All are of Scottish/N. English origin (other than the Aussie usages)
Yeah, I always associate skite with bragging.
But I grew up in NZ. We had not other meanings.
Si
Yeah, I always associate skite with bragging.
But I grew up in NZ. We never used it an any other way.
Si
I’d certainly agree with that.
Just for completeness, here’s the information from the Dictionary of the Scottish Tongue (Scots English). Edited for brevity of entry.
SKITE , v.
intr. To dart, to shoot, fly through the air suddenly and forcibly, and freq. in an oblique direction, to fly off at a tangent (Sc. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems Gl. 1808 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.), “to fall or be driven forcibly in a slanting direction, as rain by wind” (Cld. 1880 Jam.). Gen.Sc.
To glance off in the opposite direction after colliding with something, to rebound, ricochet (Lnk. 1825 Jam.; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 266; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Gen.Sc.
(1) To slip, to slither or slide on a slippery surface (wm.Sc. 1910; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; m.Lth. 1950). Gen.Sc.
(2) to skate (on ice), poss. rather an altered form of Skeet, v.1 Hence skite r, a skater (Cld. 1880 Jam.).
tr. To throw suddenly and forcibly, to pitch, send (something) flying, make (something) to shoot off at an angle (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 165). Gen.Sc.; to cause (a stone) to skip over the surface of water (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.B.; Bnff. 1930); to make (a ball) bounce (Mry. 1949).
tr. or absol. (1) To cause a spray or splash of liquid, to squirt, spit, splash, bespatter (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Uls. 1904 Uls. Jnl. Archaeol. 129; I. and n.Sc., Ags., sm.Sc. 1970); to inject, lit. and fig.; to rain slightly (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 165). Hence skite the gutter, a harum-scarum person (Uls. 1931 Northern Whig (2 Dec.)
To strike, hit (one) a blow (Cai., m.Sc. 1970).
To take a trick with trumps at cards, to trump (Bnff., Abd. 1970).
[O.N. skyt-, the stem of skjóta, to shoot, propel, dart, Norw. skyte, Dan. skyde, to shoot.]
So, a Scottish / Northern English cognate of Standard English ‘shoot.’
I concur, on every point.
Which would suggest a link to this “blatherskite” word, I’m guessing.
Me to.