skilling1
[skil-ing]
- a former silver coin of Denmark, Sweden, and the Danish West Indies.
- any of various former copper coins of Sweden and Norway.
Origin of skilling1
skilling2
[skil-ing]
skill2
[skil]
- to matter.
- to help; avail.
Origin of skill2
1150–1200; Middle English skilien < Old Norse skilja to distinguish, divide, akin to skil (see skill1), Old English scylian to separate, Gothic skilja butcher, Lithuanian skélti to split
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for skilling
Contemporary Examples
Skilling was indicted on 35 counts of fraud and insider trading related to the Enron collapse.
Skilling's plight and fight are of little interest; he's been in prison for the last 3.5 years, with many more to follow.
The appeal, however, is not likely to spring Skilling from his prison cell in Colorado.
Yes, which leads me to a fascination with the cult leader, which is in a way what Skilling was at ENRON.
Some have even compared it to Shakespeare's Richard III because Skilling's tragedy, like Richard's, is his increasing isolation.
Historical Examples
A portion of the court is roofed in, and is called the "skilling."
The Toilers of the FieldRichard Jefferies
The coins in circulation are the mark, the two, the four, and the twelve skilling piece.
Up The BalticOliver Optic
"But by this means he brings a skilling home," said the old woman.
O. T.Hans Christian Andersen
In this court, too, the butter is generally churned, under a "skilling" which covers half of it.
The Toilers of the FieldRichard Jefferies
It is near enough for our purpose to say that a mark is twenty-two cents, and a skilling one cent.
Up The BalticOliver Optic
skilling
- a former Scandinavian coin of low denomination
Word Origin
C18: from Danish and Swedish; see shilling
skill
- special ability in a task, sport, etc, esp ability acquired by training
- something, esp a trade or technique, requiring special training or manual proficiency
- obsolete understanding
Word Origin
C12: from Old Norse skil distinction; related to Middle Low German schēle, Middle Dutch geschil difference
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for skilling
skill
n.
late 12c., "power of discernment," from Old Norse skil "distinction, ability to make out, discernment, adjustment," related to skilja (v.) "to separate; discern, understand," from Proto-Germanic *skaljo- "divide, separate" (cf. Swedish skäl "reason," Danish skjel "a separation, boundary, limit," Middle Low German schillen "to differ," Middle Low German, Middle Dutch schele "separation, discrimination;" see shell (n.)). Sense of "ability, cleverness" first recorded early 13c.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper