Skip to content

Skive: WordWednesdayFun

Hi, yet another “sk” word. I love ’em and this one is skive. Have you noticed how many of these words beginning with ‘sk’ are Nordic in origin?

Skiving was a word often used back home in England. “What you up you? Skiving?” was more an accusation than a question.

But in my youth in Liverpool it was ‘sag’ or ‘sagging’ that was used in place of skive/skiving. “Youse sagging skewl today?” was an oft heard question in my youth especially if the Beatles were doing a lunch time gig at the Cavern!

beatles

Here’s what Merriam-Webster has to say –
transitive verb \ˈskīv\
Popularity: Bottom 40% of words
Simple Definition
: to avoid school or work by staying away or by leaving without permission

Full Definition of skive
skived skiving
: to cut off (as leather or rubber) in thin layers or pieces : pare

Examples in a sentence
He works for his mother and feels he can skive off whenever he feels like it.
She skived off school twice last month.

Origin
perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse skīfa to slice

First Known Use: circa 1825

This is the top Facebook comment left on the M-W page –
UncleTim Sng · University of Malaya
Son skived at University to attend girlfriend’s birthday today. A new word learned and a great website discovered!
Like · Reply · Jan 21, 2016 7:01am

 

Here is the Urban Dictionary definition –

TOP DEFINITION
skive
Doing anything but that which you are supposed to be doing during a specific time frame.

E.G Pretending to do something for which you are being payed for, such as a your job, but instead doing other things (like having a laugh, phoning your friends, hiding from your boss, surfing the internet, playing computer games, having a sly cigarette) that are totally unrelated or unconected to that which is within your job description.
Taking 2 hours for lunch instead of 1 and getting a collegue to cover for you.

Leaving work earlier than you should, and hoping your boss doesn’t notice.

Calling in sick to work, then going out for an all day pub crawl.
by Siona Beht June 22, 2004

It’s clear that Siona doesn’t use Grammarly or Pro Writing Aid 🙂

Free & Quick Proofreading from Grammarly!

Quiz Time

What does triskaidekaphobia mean?
[sociallocker]Fear of the number 13[/sociallocker]
Writing Improvement Software

Follow Me On Social Media
Published inWord Wednesday Fun

2 Comments

I would love to hear from you

©2021 - 2022 Stephen Bentley - and Hendry Publishing Ltd Registered in England and Wales: Company Number 13486229 Registered Office: 20-22 Wenlock Road London N1 7GU All Rights Reserved