S K I 
265 
SKI 
SKEWSBY, a township of England, North Riding of 
Yorkshire; 8 miles east-by-north of Easingwold. 
SKEYTON, a parish of England, in Norfolk; 3| miles 
east-by-south of Aylesham. 
SKIACH, Loch, a small lake of Scotland, in Perthshire, 
well stored with excellent trout. 
SKIACK, a small river of Scotland, in Ross-shire, which 
falls into the sea, close by the church of Kiltearn. 
SKIATHI, a small island of the Grecian archipelago, 
opposite to the mainland of Magnesia, near the entrance of 
the gulf of Volo. Its form is triangular, its circumference 
about 30 miles, its climate healthy. Its surface presents a 
pleasant mixture of hill and plain: the higher grounds are 
covered with wood, the lower with vines and olives; but 
cultivation in every shape is much neglected, and the chief 
support of the inhabitants is derived from their flocks of 
goats. In the south of the island is a good harbour, called 
Oraio-Castro, near which, on a small peninsula, stood the 
ancient town. 
SKIATHI, the chief place of the foregoing island, situated 
atits northern extremity, on a steep and elevated rock, acces¬ 
sible only by means of a wooden bridge. The inhabitants, 
in number about 1000, were obliged to take this formidable 
position, to escape the attacks of pirates. 
SKIATIC STAY, in Rigging, a contrivance for hoisting 
and lowering burdens out of or in ships. 
SKIBBEREEN, a town of Ireland, in the county of Cork, 
situated on the river lien, on the west bank of which stands 
the church. The clothing trade and linen manufacture are 
established here; 10 miles south-east of Bantry, and 34 
south-west of Cork. 
SKID, in Rural Economy, a term applied to the chain by 
which the wheel of a waggon is fastened, so as to prevent its 
turning round, upon descending a steep hill. See Drag. 
SKID-BEAMS, in Ship-building, are the beams in the 
waist, which connect the forecastle with the quarter deck. 
SKIDBROOK, a parish of England, in Lincolnshire; 101 
miles north-east of Louth. 
SKIDBY, a township of England, East Riding of York 
shire; 4 miles south-by-west of Beverley. 
SKIDDAW, a mountain of England, in Cumberland, 
one of the most remarkable in the kingdom for its height, 
and distinguished also for its grand and romantic scenery, as 
well as for the lakes in its different hollows, and near its base. 
According to the trigonometrical survey of England, its 
highest point is elevated 3022 feet above the level of the sea. 
Like most of the mountains in this part of the kingdom, 
Skiddaw consists of numerous inequalities. Its surface pre¬ 
sents also a variety of substances, colours, and forms. In 
some places are vast masses of bare rock; in others, a soft 
short grass prevails, and heath, furze, and brambles, are also 
found in different parts. Mildness and grandeur are the 
general beauties of this alpine region. The mountain in 
some parts is not difficult of access. The whole of the top 
is covered with a loose brown slaty stone. It is distant 
6 miles from Cockermouth, and Keswick stands near its 
base. 
SKIDS, Boat, square pieces of timber bolted one on each 
side, and projecting over the stern, with sheaves in their outer 
ends to hoist the boat up. Boat-skids over the quarters are 
fixed at the heel, and suspended by a lift at the head; they 
are made of iron lately in the navy. 
SKIDS, Whale, are long square pieces of timber, projecting 
from the sides of Greenland ships, for the convenience of 
hoisting and canting the whale out of the water. 
SK1ELSKIOR, or Skielfiskor, a small town of Den¬ 
mark, in the island of Zealand, on the great Belt, with a 
capacious harbour; 62 miles west-south-west of Copen¬ 
hagen. Lat. 55. 17. N. long. 11. 20. E. 
SKIEN. See Skeen. 
SKIERNIEWICE, a small town of Poland, on the 
Jesowka; 35 miles west south-west of Warsaw, with 1500 
inhabitants. 
SKIFF, s. {sch iff, German; esquif, Fr.; scapha, Lat.; 
<n<a$; i, Gr.] A small light boat.—If in two skiff's of cork, a 
VOL. XXIII. No. 1569. 
loadstone and steel be placed within the orb of their acti¬ 
vities, the one doth not move, the other standing still; but 
both steer unto each other. Brown. 
To SKIFF, v. a. To pass over in a small light boat. 
They two have cabin’d 
In many as dangerous as poor a corner, 
Peril and want contending; they have shift 
Torrents, whose roaring tyranny and power 
F the least of these was dreadful. Beaum. and FI. 
SKI'LFUL, adj. Knowing; qualified with skill; pos¬ 
sessing any art; dexterous; able. It is, in the following 
examples, used with of, at, and in, before the subject of skill. 
Of seems poetical, at ludicrous, in, popular and proper. 
Say, Stella, feel you no content, 
Reflecting on a life well spent; 
Your skilful hand employ’d to save 
Despairing wretches from the grave: 
And then supporting with your store 
Those whom you dragg’d from death before ? Swift. 
SKI'LFULLY, adv. With skill; with art; with uncom¬ 
mon ability; dexterously.—Ulysses builds a ship with his 
own hands, as skilfully as a shipwright. Broome. 
SKI'LFULNESS, s. Art; ability; dexterousness.—He 
fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided 
them by the skilfulness of his hands. Psalms. 
SKILGATE, a parish of England, in Somersetshire; 6 
miles west-by-south of Wiveliscombe. 
SKILL, s. [ski/, Icelandic.] Knowledge of any practice 
or art; readiness in any practice; knowledge; dexterity; 
artfulness. 
Oft nothing profits more 
Than self-esteem grounded on just and right, 
Well managed; of that skill the more thou know’st, 
The more she will acknowledge thee her head. Milton. 
Any particular art.—Learned in one skill, and in another 
kind of learning unskilful. Hooker. —Reason; cause, 
[pcyle, Saxon.] This is a very ancient meaning of the 
word. 
You have 
As little skill to fear, as I have purpose 
To put you to’t. Shakspeare. 
To SKILL, v. n. [skilia, Icelandic.] To be knowing 
in ; to be dexterous at; to know how: not invariable with 
of, as Dr. Johnson has stated it; but usually so. 
They that skill not of so heavenly matter, 
All that they know not, envy or admire. Spenser. 
[Skilia, Icelandic, signifies also to distinguish.] To dif¬ 
fer; to make difference; to interest; to matter. Not now in 
use. 
What skills it, if a bag of stones or gold 
About thy neck do drown thee ? raise thy head, 
Take stars for money; stars not to be told 
By any art: yet to be purchased. 
None is so wasteful as the scraping dame. 
She loseth three for one; her soul, rest, fame. Herbert. 
To SKILL, v. a. To know; to understand. Obsolete. 
—I skill not what it is. Beaum. and FI. 
SKI'LLED, adj. Knowing; dexterous; acquainted with : 
with of poetically, with in popularly.— Of these nor skilled 
nor studious. Milton. 
SKI'LLESS, adj. Wanting skill; artless. Not now in 
use ; but formerly very common. 
Jealously what might befall your travel, 
Being skillcss in these parts; which to a stranger 
Unguided and unfriended, often prove 
Rough and unhospitable. Shakspeare. 
SKI'LLET, s. A small kettle or boiler. 
When light-wing’d toys 
Of feather’d Cupid foil with wanton dullness 
My speculative and offic’d instruments, 
Let house-wives make a skillet of my helm. Shakspeare. 
3 Y SKILLINGTON, 
