A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

sixteen --- O.E. sixtyne, from siex (see six) + teen (q.v.). Cf. O.Fris. sextine, M.Du. sestien, O.N. sextan.

sixth --- O.E. syxte, from siex (see six). Sixth sense "supernatural perception of objects" is attested from 1807; earlier it meant "the sense that apprehends sexual pleasure" (1699).

sixty --- O.E. sixtig, from siex (see six) + -tig (see -ty (1)). Phrase sixty-four dollar question is 1942, from radio quiz show where that was the top prize. Sixty-nine in sexual sense is first attested 1888, as a transl. of Fr. faire soixante neuf, lit. "to do 69."

size (n.) --- c.1300, "an ordinance to fix the amount of a payment or tax," from O.Fr. sise, shortened form of assise "session, assessment, regulation, manner" (see assize), probably a misdivision of l'assise as la sise. The sense of "extent, amount, magnitude" (c.1400) is from the notion of regulating something by fixing the amount of it (weights, food portions, etc.). Specific sense of "set of dimensions of an article of clothing or shoe" is attested from 1591. Sizeable "fairly large" is recorded from 1613.

size (v.) --- c.1400, "to regulate," from size (n.). Meaning "to make of a certain size" is from 1609; that of "to classify according to size" is first attested 1635. Verbal phrase size up "estimate, assess" is from 1847 and retains the root sense of size (n.).

sizzle --- 1603, perhaps a frequentative form of M.E. sissen "hiss, buzz," of imitative origin. The fig. sense is attested from 1859. The noun is first recorded 1823.

-sk --- reflexive suffix in words of Dan. origin (e.g. bask, lit. "to bathe oneself"), contracted from O.N. sik, reflexive pronoun corresponding to Goth. sik, O.H.G. sih, Ger. sich "himself, herself, itself," from PIE base *se- (cf. L. se "himself").

ska --- 1964, Jamaican, of unknown origin.

skag --- heroin, 1967, Amer.Eng., earlier "cigarette" (1915), of unknown origin.

skald --- 1763, "Scandinavian poet and singer of medieval times," from O.N. skald "skald, poet" (9c.), of unknown origin, perhaps from PIE base *sekw- "to say, utter." The modern word is an antiquarian revival. "Usually applied to Norwegian and Icelandic poets of the Viking period and down to c 1250, but often without any clear idea as to their function and the character of their work." [OED]

skank --- unattractive woman, 1970s, from skag in this sense (1920s), of unknown origin. Meaning "dance to reggae music" is 1976, probably not the same word, but also of unknown origin.

skat --- card game, 1864, from Ger. skat, from It. scarto "rejection of a card," cognate with Fr. écarté "card."

skate (1) --- fish, c.1340, from O.N. skata, of unknown origin.

skate (2) --- ice skate or roller skate, 1662, skeates "ice skates" (the custom was brought to England after the Restoration by exiled followers of Charles II who had taken refuge in Holland), from Du. schaats (singular, mistaken in Eng. as plural), from M.Du. schaetse, from O.N.Fr. escache "a stilt, trestle," from O.Fr. eschace "stilt" (Fr. échasse), from Frank. *skakkja "stilt" (cf. Fris. skatja "stilt"), perhaps lit. "thing that shakes or moves fast" and related to root of O.E. sceacan "to vibrate" (see shake). Or perhaps the Du. word is connected to M.L.G. schenke, O.E. scanca "leg" (see shank). Sense alteration in Du. from "stilt" to "skate" is not clearly traced. The verb is attested from 1696; U.S. slang sense of "to get away with something" is attested from 1945.

skateboard --- 1964, from skate (v.) on model of surfboard. The phenomenon began c.1963 in southern California.

skedaddle --- to run away, 1861, American Civil War military slang, of unknown origin, perhaps connected to earlier use in northern England dialect with a meaning "to spill."

Skee-Ball --- 1909, proprietary name, U.S.

skeet --- form of trapshooting, 1926, a name chosen as "a very old form of our present word 'shoot.' " Perhaps O.N. skotja "to shoot" (see shoot) was intended.

skein --- c.1440, from M.Fr. escaigne "a hank of yarn," from O.Fr. escagne (1354), of uncertain origin.

skeleton --- 1578, from Mod.L. sceleton "bones, bony framework of the body," from Gk. skeleton soma "dried-up body, mummy," from neut. of skeletos "dried-up," from skellein "dry up," from PIE base *skele- "to parch, whither" (cf. Gk. skleros "hard"). The Gk. word was borrowed in L.L. (sceletus), hence Fr. squelette, Sp. esqueleto, It. scheletro. The meaning "bare outline" is first recorded 1607; hence skeleton crew (1778), skeleton key, etc. Phrase skeleton in the closet "source of secret shame to a person or family" popularized 1845 by Thackeray, though he likely didn't coin it.

skeptic --- 1587, "member of an ancient Gk. school that doubted the possibility of real knowledge," from Fr. sceptique, from L. scepticus, from Gk. skeptikos (pl. Skeptikoi "the Skeptics"), lit. "inquiring, reflective," the name taken by the disciples of the Gk. philosopher Pyrrho (c.360-c.270 B.C.E.), from skeptesthai "to reflect, look, view" (see scope (1)). The extended sense of "one with a doubting attitude" first recorded 1615. The sk- spelling is an early 17c. Gk. revival and is preferred in U.S.

sketch --- rough drawing intended to serve as the bases for a finished picture, 1668, from Du. schets, from It. schizzo "sketch, drawing," lit. "a splash, squirt," from schizzare "to splash or squirt," of uncertain origin, perhaps from L. schedium "an extemporaneous poem," from Gk. skedios "temporary, extemporaneous," related to skhein, aor. inf. of ekhein "to have" (see scheme). Ger. Skizze, Fr. esquisse, Sp. esquicio are from Italian. The verb is attested from 1694. Extended sense of "brief account" is from 1668; meaning "short play or performance, usually comic" is from 1789. Sketchy first recorded 1805.

skew (v.) --- c.1470, from O.N.Fr. eskiuer "shy away from, avoid," O.Fr. eschiver (see eschew). Meaning "depict unfairly" first recorded 1872, on notion of being slanted. Statistical sense dates from 1929. The adj. meaning "slanting, turned to one side" is recorded from 1609; noun meaning "slant, deviation" first attested 1688.

skewbald --- horse with brown and white patches, 1654, from skued "skewbald" (c.1440), of unknown origin, + bald "having white patches" (see bald). First element apparently unconnected with skew (v.); O.E.D. suggests perhaps from O.Fr. escu "shield," but also notes a close resemblance in form and sense with Icel. skjottr, "the history of which is equally obscure."

skewer (n.) --- 1679, variant of skiver (1664), perhaps from O.N. skifa "disk, cut, slice," related to shiver (n.). The verb is attested from 1701, from the noun.

ski (n.) --- 1885 (there is an isolated instance from 1755), from Norw. ski, related to O.N. skið "snowshoe," lit. "stick of wood," cognate with O.E. scid "stick of wood," obs. Eng. shide; O.H.G. skit, Ger. Scheit "log," from P.Gmc. *skid- "to divide, split," from PIE base *skei- "to cut, split" (see shed (v.)). The verb is 1893, from the noun. ski-jumper is from 1894; ski bum first attested 1960.

skid (n.) --- 1609, "beam or plank on which something rests," probably from a Scand. source akin to O.N. skið "stick of wood" (see ski). A skid as something used to facilitate downhill motion (cf. skid row) led to fig. phrases such as hit the skids "go into rapid decline" (1920).

skid (v.) --- 1674, "apply a skid to (a wheel, to keep it from turning)," from skid (n.). Meaning "slide along" first recorded 1838; extended sense of "slip sideways" (on a wet road, etc.) first recorded 1884 (the noun in this sense is attested from 1907). The original notion is of a block of wood for stopping a wheel; the modern senses are from the notion of a wheel slipping when blocked from revolving.

skid row --- 1931, from skid road "track of skids along which logs are rolled" (1851), from skid (n.). The sense was extended to "part of town inhabited by loggers" (1906), then, by hobos, to "disreputable district" (1915).

skidoo --- 1905, "to leave in a hurry," perhaps a variant of skedaddle (q.v.). Sense in early 20c. slang phrase twenty-three skidoo (1906) is obscure.

skiff --- small boat, 1575, from Fr. esquif (1549), from It. schifo "little boat," from a Gmc. source (e.g. O.H.G. scif "boat;" see ship (n.)). Originally the small boat of a ship.

skiffle --- style of U.K. pop music, 1957, from U.S. slang meaning "type of jazz played on improvised instruments" (1926), of unknown origin.

skill --- c.1175, "power of discernment," from O.N. skil "distinction, discernment," related to skilja (v.) "distinguish, separate," from P.Gmc. *skaljo- "divide, separate" (cf. M.L.G. schillen "to differ;" M.L.G., M.Du. schele "difference;" see shell). Sense of "ability, cleverness" first recorded c.1300.

skillet --- 1403, perhaps from M.Fr. esculette (Fr. écuelle), dim. of escuele "plate," from L. scutella "serving platter" (see scuttle (n.)); or formed in Eng. from skele "wooden bucket or pail" (c.1330), from a Scand. source (cf. O.N. skjola "pail, bucket").

skim --- c.1420 (skimmer, the utensil, is attested from c.1392), "to clear (a liquid) from matter floating on the surface," from O.Fr. escumer "remove scum," from escume (Fr. écume) "scum," from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. scum "scum," Ger. Schaum; see scum). Hence, skim milk (1596), from which the cream has been skimmed. Meaning "to glance over carelessly" (in ref. to printed matter) first recorded 1799; that of "to move over lightly and rapidly" is from 1697. Skimmer, the N.Amer. shore bird (1785), so called from its method of feeding.

skimp --- 1879, probably a back-formation of skimpy (1842), from skimp (adj.) "scanty" (1775), which perhaps ultimately is from an early 18c. alteration of scrimp.

skin (n.) --- c.1200, "animal hide" (usually dressed and tanned), from O.N. skinn "animal hide," from P.Gmc. *skintha- (cf. O.H.G. scinten, Ger. schinden "to flay, skin;" Ger. dial. schind "skin of a fruit," Flem. schinde "bark"), from PIE *sken- "cut off" (cf. Bret. scant "scale of a fish," Ir. scainim "I tear, I burst"), from base *sek- "cut." Replaced native hide; the modern technical distinction between the two words is based on the size of the animal. Meaning "epidermis of a living animal or person" is attested from 1340; extended to fruits, vegetables, etc. 1398.

skinflint --- 1700, "miser," slang; lit. "kind of person who would skin a flint to save or gain something," from skin (v.) + flint.

skinhead --- 1969, in U.K. youth gang sense, from skin (n.) + head. Earlier, in U.S., it meant "man with a crew cut" (1953), especially a military recruit.

skink --- 1590, from M.Fr. scinc, from L. scincus, from Gk. skinkos, a kind of lizard common in Asia and N.Africa, of unknown origin.

Skinner box --- 1940 (earlier Skinner apparatus, 1938), from U.S. psychologist B.F. Skinner (1904-1990).

skinny (adj.) --- 1573, "resembling skin," from skin (n.). Meaning "emaciated" is recorded from 1605. In the sense of "the truth" it is World War II military slang, perhaps from the notion of the "naked" truth. Skinny-dip first recorded 1950s.

skip --- c.1300, "to spring lightly," also "to jump over," probably from O.N. skopa "to skip, run," from P.Gmc. *skupanan (cf. M.Swed. skuppa, dial. Swed. skopa "to skip, leap"). Meaning "omit intervening parts" first recorded c.1385. Meaning "fail to attend" is from 1905. The noun is attested from c.1440. The custom of skipping rope has been traced to 17c.; it was commonly done by boys as well as girls until late 19c.

skipjack --- 1554, "a pert shallow-brained fellow, a puppy, a conceited fop" [OED], from skip (v.) + generic name jack. Applied 1703 to tropical fishes with leaping tendencies. In ref. to a kind of sailing boat used on Chesapeake Bay, attested from 1887.

skipper --- captain or master of a ship, 1390, from M.Du. scipper, from scip (see ship). Transf. sense of "captain of a sporting team" is from 1830.

skirl --- c.1400, "to make a shrill sound," from a Scand. source (cf. Norw. skyrla, skrella "to shriek"), of imitative origin. In reference to bagpipes, it is attested by 1665 and now rarely used otherwise.

skirmish --- c.1300, from O.Fr. escarmouche "skirmish," from It. scaramuccia, probably from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. skirmen "to protect, defend"), influenced in M.E. by a separate verb skirmysshen "to brandish a weapon," from O.Fr. eskirmiss-, stem of eskirmir "to fence," from Frankish *skirmjan, from the same Gmc. source. The verb is attested from c.1470. Cf. also scrimmage.

skirt (n.) --- c.1300, "lower part of a woman's dress," from O.N. skyrta "shirt," see shirt. Sense development from "shirt" to "skirt" is possibly related to the long shirts of peasant garb (cf. Low Ger. cognate Schört, in some dialects "woman's gown"). Sense of "border, edge" (in outskirts, etc.) first recorded 1470, and the verb meaning "to pass along the edge" is from 1623. Metonymic use for "women collectively" is from 1560; slang sense of "young woman" is from 1906; skirt-chaser first attested 1942.

skit --- 1572, "a vain, frivolous, or wanton girl" (originally Scottish, now archaic), related to verb meaning "to shy or be skittish," perhaps from O.N. skjuta "to shoot" (see skittish). Sense shifted to "a satirical remark or reflection" (1727), then "a piece of light satire or caricature" (1820).

skitter --- to run rapidly, 1845, frequentative of skite "to dart, run quickly" (1721), perhaps from a Scand. source (cf. Icelandic skjota "to shoot," or Norw. dialectal skutla "glide rapidly"); related to source of skit (q.v.).

skittish --- c.1412, "very lively, frivolous," perhaps from Scand. base *skyt- (stem of O.N. skjuta "to shoot"), from PIE base *skeud- "to shoot, to chase, to throw, to project" (see shoot (v.)). Sense of "apt to run" first recorded about 1510, of horses.

skittles --- 1634, pl. of skittle, one of the pins used in the game, probably from a Scand. source (cf. Norw. skyttel "shuttle").

skivvies --- underwear, 1932, nautical slang, of unknown origin. An earlier skivvy/skivey was London slang for "female domestic servant" (1902).

skoal --- Scand. toasting word, 1600, from Dan. skaal "a toast," lit. "bowl, cup," from O.N., originally a cup made from a shell, from P.Gmc. *skelo, from PIE *(s)kel- "to cut" (see shell). The word first appears in Scottish Eng., and may have been connected to the visit of James VI of Scotland to Denmark in 1589.

Skraeling --- 1767, Norse name for inhabitants of Greenland encountered by the Viking settlers there, from O.N. Skræingar (pl.), apparently lit. "little men" (cf. Icel. skrælna "shrink"); another term for them was smair menn. The name may have been used first in ref. to the inhabitants of Vineland (who would have been Indians), then transf. to Eskimos, who adopted it into their own language as Kalaleq.

skua --- predatory gull, 1678, from Faeroese skugvur, related to O.N. skufr "seagull, tuft, tassel," and possibly to skauf "fox's tail."

skulduggery --- 1856, apparently an alteration of Scottish sculdudrie "adultery" (1713), sculduddery "bawdry, obscenity" (1821), a euphemism of uncertain origin.

skulk --- c.1225, from a Scand. source, cf. Norw. skulke "to shirk, malinger," Dan. skulke "to spare oneself, shirk." Common in M.E. but lacking in 15c.-16c. records; possibly reborrowed 17c.

skull --- c.1225, probably from O.N. skalli "bald head, skull," a general Scand. word (cf. Swed. skulle, Norw. skult), probably related to O.E. scealu "husk" (see shell). But early prominence in southwestern texts suggests rather origin from a Du. or Low Ger. cognate (e.g. Du. schol "turf, piece of ice," but the sense of "head bone framework" is wanting). Derivation from O.Fr. escuelle seems unlikely on grounds of sound and sense. O.E. words for skull include heafod-bolla.

skunk --- 1634, squunck, from a southern New England Algonquian language (probably Abenaki) seganku, from Proto-Algonquian */šeka:kwa/, from */šek-/ "to urinate" + */-a:kw/ "fox." As an insult, attested from 1841. Skunk cabbage is attested from 1751.

sky --- c.1220, "a cloud," from O.N. sky "cloud," from P.Gmc. *skeujam "cloud, cloud cover" (cf. O.E. sceo, O.S. scio "cloud;" O.H.G. scuwo, O.E. scua, O.N. skuggi "shadow;" Goth. skuggwa "mirror"), from PIE base *(s)keu- "to cover, conceal" (see hide (n.1)). Meaning "upper regions of the air" is attested from c.1300; replaced native heofon in this sense (see heaven). In M.E., the word can still mean both "cloud" and "heaven," as still in the skies, originally "the clouds." Sky-high is from 1818; phrase the sky's the limit is attested from 1920. Sky-dive first recorded 1965; sky-writing is from 1923.

skyhook --- imaginary device to hold things up, 1915, originally aviators' jargon, from sky + hook. Applied from 1935 to actual device for lifting things into the air.

skyjack --- to hijack an airplane, 1961, apparently coined in N.Y. Mirror headlines, from sky + second element of hijack (q.v.).

Skylab --- U.S. space program, first attested 1970, launched 1973, fell to earth 1979.

skylark (n.) --- the common European lark, 1686, from sky + lark. The verb meaning "to frolic or play" is recorded from 1809, originally nautical, in ref. to "wanton play about the rigging, and tops."

skylight --- 1679, "light from the sky," from sky + light (n.). Meaning "small opening in a roof to admit light" is recorded from 1690.

skyrocket (n.) --- 1688, from sky + rocket. The verb, in the fig. sense of "to rise abruptly and rapidly," is attested from 1895.

skyscraper --- very tall urban building, 1888, in a Chicago context, from sky + agent noun of scrape (v.). Used earlier for "ornament atop a building" (1883), "very tall man" (1857), "high-flying bird" (1840), "light sail at the top of a mast" (1794), and the name of a racehorse (1789). Cf. cognate Fr. gratte-ciel, from gratter "to scrape" + ciel "sky;" Ger. Wolkenkratzer, from Wolke "cloud" + Kratzer "scraper."

slab --- c.1290, of unknown origin, possibly related to O.Fr. escalpe "thin fragment of wood," which seems to be a Gaulish loan word (cf. Bret. scolp, Welsh ysgolp "splinter, chip"). But OED rejects this on formal grounds. Meaning "rectangular block of pre-cast concrete used in building" is from 1927.

slack (adj.) --- O.E. slæc "loose, careless" (in ref. to personal conduct), from P.Gmc. *slakas (cf. O.S. slak, O.N. slakr, O.H.G. slah "slack," M.Du. lac "fault, lack"), from PIE base *(s)leg- "to be slack" (see lax). Sense of "not tight" (in ref. to things) is first recorded c.1300. The verb is attested from 1520; slacken (v.) first recorded 1580. Slack-key (1975) translates Hawaiian ki ho'alu First record of slack-jawed (1901) is in Kipling. Slack water "time when tide is not flowing" is from 1769. Slacker popularized 1994, though meaning "person who shirks work" dates back to 1898.

slack (n.) --- 1794, "loose part or end" (of a rope, sail, etc.), from slack (adj.); hense fig. senses in take up the slack (1930) and slang cut (someone) some slack (1968). Meaning "quiet period, lull" is from 1851. Slacks "loose trousers" first recorded 1824, originally military.

slack (n.) --- coal dust, c.1440, sleck, probably from M.Du. slacke, M.L.G. slecke "slag, small pieces left after coal is screened," perhaps related to slagge "splinter flying off metal when it is struck" (see slag).

slag --- 1552, from M.L.G. slagge (Ger. Schlacke) "splinter flying off when metal is struck," related to O.H.G. slahan "to strike, slay" (see slay). Verbal slang meaning "denigrate" is from 1971, from noun sense of "worthless person" (1788).

slain (adj.) --- c.1225, from O.E. (ge)slegen, pp. of slean (see slay). The noun meaning "Those who have been slain" is attested from c.1340.

slake --- O.E. slacian "slacken an effort," from slæc "lax" (see slack). Sense of "allay" (in ref. to thirst, hunger, desire) first recorded c.1325.

slalom --- 1921, from Norw. slalam "skiing race," lit. "sloping track," from sla "slope" + lam "track" (related to Norw. laan "a row of houses;" cf. lane).

slam (1) --- a severe blow, 1672, probably from a Scand. source (cf. Norw. slamre, Swed. slemma "to slam, bang") of imitative origin. The verb meaning "to shut with force" is attested from 1726. Meaning "say uncomplimentary things about" is from 1916. Slam-bang first recorded 1823. Slam-dunk is from 1976. Slam-dance is attested by 1987 (slam by itself in this sense is recorded from 1983). Slammer "jail, prison" is from 1952.

slam (2) --- a winning of all tricks in a card game, 1621, used especially in whist, of obscure origin. Grand slam in bridge first recorded 1892; earlier in related card games from 1814; fig. sense of "complete success" is attested from 1920; in baseball sense from 1940.

slander --- c.1290, from Anglo-Fr. esclaundre, O.Fr. esclandre "scandalous statement," alteration of escandle "scandal," from L. scandalum "cause of offense, stumbling block, temptation" (see scandal). The verb is attested from c.1300, from O.Fr. esclandrer, from esclandre.

slang --- 1756, "special vocabulary of tramps or thieves," later "jargon of a particular profession" (1801), of uncertain origin, perhaps from a Scandinavian source, cf. Norw. slengenamn "nickname," slengja kjeften "to abuse with words," lit. "to sling the jaw," related to O.N. slyngva "to sling." But OED, while admitting "some approximation in sense," discounts this connection based on "date and early associations." Sense of "very informal language characterized by vividness and novelty" first recorded 1818. A word that ought to have survived is slangwhanger (1807, Amer.Eng.) "noisy or abusive talker or writer."

slant (v.) --- 1521, "to strike obliquely" (against something), alteration of slenten "slip sideways" (c.1300), perhaps via a Scand. source (cf. Sw. slinta "to slip," Norw. slenta "to fall on one side"), from P.Gmc. *slintanan. Sense of "to slope" is first recorded 1698. The adj./adv. is attested from 1495. The noun is from 1655. Derogatory slang sense of "Oriental, slant-eyed person" is recorded from 1943, from earlier slant-eyes (1929).

slap (v.) --- 1632, probably of imitative origin, similar to Low Ger. slappe, Ger. Schlappe. The noun is recorded from 1648; fig. meaning "insult" is attested from 1736. Slapdash (1679) is first attested in Dryden. Slap-happy (1936) originally meant "punch-drunk." Slapshot in ice hockey is recorded from 1942. Slap on the wrist "very mild punishment" dates from 1914.

slapstick --- farcical physical comedy, horseplay, 1926, from slapstick (1896) a device consisting of two sticks fastened together so as to slap loudly when a clown or actor hits somebody with it, or to make a sound-effect offstage; from slap and stick.

slash (v.) --- 1382, "to cut with a stroke of a blade or whip," perhaps from M.Fr. esclachier "to break," variant of esclater "to break, splinter" (see slat). In ref. to prices, it is attested from 1906. The noun meaning "a cutting stroke with a weapon" is recorded from 1576; sense of "slit in a garment" is from 1615; that of "open tract in a forest" is first attested 1825, Amer.Eng. As a punctuation mark in writing or printing, it is recorded from 1961. Slash-and-burn method of clearing forest for cultivation is from 1919.

slat --- 1382, "a roofing slate," from O.Fr. esclat "split piece, splinter," back-formation from esclater "to break, splinter, burst," probably from Frank. *slaitan "to tear, slit," related to O.H.G. slizan, O.E. slitan (see slit). Meaning "long, thin, narrow piece of wood or metal" attested from 1764.

slate --- c.1340, from O.Fr. esclate, fem. of esclat "split piece, splinter" (Fr. éclat, see slat), so called because the rock splits easily into thin plates. As a color, first recorded 1882. Sense of "a writing tablet" (made of slate), first recorded c.1391, led to that of "list of candidates," first recorded 1842. The verb meaning "propose, schedule" is recorded from 1883; sense of "nominate" is attested from 1804. Clean slate (1868) originally referred to scores chalked up in a tavern.