skep

American  

[skep] / skɛp /

noun

1. a round farm basket of wicker or wood.

2. Also the amount contained in a skep.

3. a beehive, especially of straw.

---

skep British  

/ skɛp /

noun

1. a beehive, esp one constructed of straw

2. dialect a large basket of wickerwork or straw

---

Etymology

Origin of skep

before 1100; Middle English skeppe, late Old English sceppe < Old Norse skeppa half-bushel; akin to German Scheffel

Example Sentences

It looks like a vintage bee skep made of wood for Godzilla-sized bees, but the experience inside is completely surprising.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 6, 2021

Naturally — as naturally as the bees leave the skep when smoked out — death threatens to break the bond between father and mother, husband and wife.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 21, 2020

Examining the doctrines, the skep tic has been apt to find myths far stronger than reality.

From Time Magazine Archive

But even to hard-bitten skep tics, the beginning was promising.

From Time Magazine Archive

When they had crunched up the last morsel they tore the skep in pieces, and for hours afterwards they were happily employed in licking themselves clean.

From Lady into Fox by Garnett, David