English

Noun

skaith ‎(plural skaiths)

1. (Scotland, law, obsolete) Alternative form of scathe: damage.
   • 1878, William Charles Smith, "Borough" in the Encyclopædia Britannica, 9th ed., Vol. IV, p. 64:

     ... the Commissioners of Burghs... meet yearly at Inverkeithing “to treat of the welfare of merchandize, the good rule and statutes for the common profit of burghs, and to provide for remeid upon the skaith and injuries sustained within the burghs.”

   • 1904, William Edmonstoune Aytoun, The Bon Gaultier Ballads:

     There never yet was Englishman
     That came to skaith by me.

References

• Oxford English Dictionary, 1st ed. "scathe, n." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1910.

Scots

Alternative forms

• skaithe, skathe, scaith, scaithe, skeath, skaid (Shetlands dialect), skaed (Shetlands dialect)

Etymology

See scathe.

Noun

skaith ‎(uncountable)

1. harm
   • 1780, Robert Burns, Poems And Songs Of Robert Burns:

     --Quoth I, "Guid faith, Ye're maybe come to stap my breath; But tent me, billie; I red ye weel, tak care o' skaith See, there's a gully!"

   • 1806, Walter Scott, Minstrelsy of the Scottish border (3rd ed) (1 of 3):

     --And attour, either of the saids parties bind and oblige them, be the faith and truth of their bodies, ilk ane to others, that they shall be leil and true to others, and neither of them will another's skaith, but they shall let it at their power, and give to others their best counsel, and it be asked; and shall take leil and aeffald part ilk ane with others, with their kin, friends, servants, allies, and partakers, in all and sundry their actions, quarrels, and debates, against all that live and die (may the allegiance of our sovereign lord the king allenarly be excepted).