Skelly

//ˈskɛli// name, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname from Irish.
Noun
  1. 1
    A squint. Scotland, archaic
  2. 2
    A skeleton, especially a human one. slang

    "We went spelunking in some caves and got quite the scare when we found some skellies in there."

  3. 3
    Alternative form of skully (“street game of flicking caps”). alt-of, alternative, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To squint. Scotland

    ""It is he—it is the very man," said Bothwell, "skellies fearfully with one eye?""

  2. 2
    To look at Scotland

Etymology

Etymology 1

Probably of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse *skjelga ("to squint"; found only in the reflexive skjelgask (“to come askew; squint the eyes”)), from Proto-Germanic *skilgijaną (“to squint”), from Proto-Germanic *skelhaz, *skelhwaz, *skelgaz (“slanted; sloping; squinting”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kel- (“to bend; crook”). Compare Danish skele (“to squint”), Swedish skela (“to squint”), Scots skellie, scalie, skellice (“to squint; look to the side”), German schielen (“to squint”).

Etymology 2

Probably of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse *skjelga ("to squint"; found only in the reflexive skjelgask (“to come askew; squint the eyes”)), from Proto-Germanic *skilgijaną (“to squint”), from Proto-Germanic *skelhaz, *skelhwaz, *skelgaz (“slanted; sloping; squinting”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kel- (“to bend; crook”). Compare Danish skele (“to squint”), Swedish skela (“to squint”), Scots skellie, scalie, skellice (“to squint; look to the side”), German schielen (“to squint”).

Etymology 3

From a clipping of skeleton + -y (diminutive suffix).

Etymology 4

Variant of skully.

Etymology 5

Variant of Scally.

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