skean
1 of 2 variants or skeane
less common spellings of skein
skean
2 of 2noun
ˈskē(-ə)n 
variants or skene
: dagger, dirk
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Erin Overbey, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2021
Noun
Didion’s missives were keenly observant, full of language that cut like a skean. Erin Overbey, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2021 Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English skene, from Irish scian & Scottish Gaelic sgian, from Old Irish scían; probably akin to Sanskrit chyati he cuts off — more at science
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined above
- indubious
- indubitabilities
- indubitability
- indubitable
- indubitableness
- indubitablenesses
- indubitably
- induce
- induced
- induced development
- induced draft
- induced drag
- induced investment
- induced radioactivity
- induced reaction
- inducement
- inducements
- inducer
- inducers
- induces
- induciae
- induciae legales
- inducibilities
- inducibility
- inducible