skean

Also skene

[skeen, skee-uhn]

noun

1. a knife or dagger formerly used in Ireland and in the Scottish Highlands.

skean

/ skiːn /

noun

1. a kind of double-edged dagger formerly used in Ireland and Scotland

Word History and Origins

Origin of skean¹

1520–30; < Scots Gaelic sgian or Irish scian

Word History and Origins

Origin of skean¹

from Irish and Scottish Gaelic scian

Example Sentences

He described the defeat as "the night of long skean dhus".

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Not, however, before poor Reginald was stabbed in the right chest with a skean dhu, the little dagger that kilted Highlanders wear in their right stocking.

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Beside it was a Skean Dhu sheath and a broken Buckfast tonic wine bottle.

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Last week at 98 he was the oldest Highland chieftain, with tasseled sporran and a jeweled skean dhus dirk in his stocking.

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Ye'll pe ken there's twa kinds o' pluid in te human body—a red and a plack: te ane comes frae flesh wounds o' te skean dhu, when it's bashfu, and winna gang far ben; and te other follows te plow o' te determined dirk, when it seeks te habitation o' life in te heart itsel.

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Related Words

• bayonet 
• blade 
• sword