First recorded in 1810–20, skean dhu is from Scots Gaelic sgian dhubh literally, “black skean”
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is my grandfather's skean dhu," he said: "I mend my pens with it, you know!
From Donal Grant, by George MacDonald by MacDonald, George
Angus, in short, although they had made him a clergyman, would, it was believed by those who knew him, have carried his skean dhu with him to the pulpit.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 14 by Various
From his belt depended some instruments, with the use of which Macpherson was entirely unacquainted; together with a skean dhu of exquisite and uncommon workmanship.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume VI by Leighton, Alexander
During their combat, however, some of Macpherson’s gillies approached the spot; and Cameron perceived them nearing him with kindling eyes, and holding in their impatient hands the skean dhu half unsheathed.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume VI by Leighton, Alexander
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
