Comments on: Skiff http://www.word-detective.com/2009/08/skiff/ Semper Ubi Sub Ubi Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:32:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Suzanne gillman http://www.word-detective.com/2009/08/skiff/comment-page-1/#comment-55806 Suzanne gillman Sun, 24 Feb 2013 11:10:02 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=1368#comment-55806 Thank you! I used this word to describe yesterday's snowfall. Husband thought i was mad. My family and our local weathermen always refer to a skiff of snow in Southern Alberta, Canada Thank you! I used this word to describe yesterday’s snowfall. Husband thought i was mad. My family and our local weathermen always refer to a skiff of snow in Southern Alberta, Canada

]]> By: Duane Dowden http://www.word-detective.com/2009/08/skiff/comment-page-1/#comment-50653 Duane Dowden Mon, 24 Dec 2012 21:41:36 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=1368#comment-50653 "Skiff" has been used as a universally understood word since I was very young boy in the 1950's Upper Midwest - and certainly before my time. It has always been implied as a small amount of snow that mostly blew around and left very little accumulation. It seems a "skiff" had more to do with a small accumulation then behavior. My small town South Dakota upbringing was inspired with colorful words and phrases. "Pop" was always the word used for a bottle of flavored soda, like Dr. Pepper. "Ufdah" pronounced oof dah can mean many different things - for me it's a way of expressing astonishment or I use it in place of a swear word!! "For cripe sake" - probably a safer way of saying for Christ Sake. The list goes on and on. We should thank the midwest for colorful language. “Skiff” has been used as a universally understood word since I was very young boy in the 1950′s Upper Midwest – and certainly before my time. It has always been implied as a small amount of snow that mostly blew around and left very little accumulation. It seems a “skiff” had more to do with a small accumulation then behavior.
My small town South Dakota upbringing was inspired with colorful words and phrases. “Pop” was always the word used for a bottle of flavored soda, like Dr. Pepper. “Ufdah” pronounced oof dah can mean many different things – for me it’s a way of expressing astonishment or I use it in place of a swear word!! “For cripe sake” – probably a safer way of saying for Christ Sake. The list goes on and on. We should thank the midwest for colorful language.

]]> By: A Skiff of Snow | Brent Logan http://www.word-detective.com/2009/08/skiff/comment-page-1/#comment-48562 A Skiff of Snow | Brent Logan Tue, 18 Dec 2012 16:15:55 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=1368#comment-48562 [...] Logan A skiff of snow idled on my car this morning. Categories: Photographs Tagged: hillsboro, show Comment [...] [...] Logan A skiff of snow idled on my car this morning. Categories: Photographs Tagged: hillsboro, show Comment [...]

]]> By: K. Wright http://www.word-detective.com/2009/08/skiff/comment-page-1/#comment-35958 K. Wright Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:32:48 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=1368#comment-35958 Vindicated at last! My family always said a "skiff" of snow. We are from Ontario. Like B. Graham's post above, I began to wonder if I made the word up as a rarely have heard it used other than by me. Thanks for the research. Vindicated at last! My family always said a “skiff” of snow. We are from Ontario. Like B. Graham’s post above, I began to wonder if I made the word up as a rarely have heard it used other than by me. Thanks for the research.

]]> By: B. Graham http://www.word-detective.com/2009/08/skiff/comment-page-1/#comment-32072 B. Graham Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:05:59 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=1368#comment-32072 YES! I just used the term "skiff" of snow, wondered about its origin, looked it up, and found only the boat definition. I grew up in Iowa and the term was used by everyone. I am glad I found this posting as I was starting to wonder if it was one of those words I had misheard over the years and it really didn't exist. YES! I just used the term “skiff” of snow, wondered about its origin, looked it up, and found only the boat definition. I grew up in Iowa and the term was used by everyone. I am glad I found this posting as I was starting to wonder if it was one of those words I had misheard over the years and it really didn’t exist.

]]> By: Dot McQueen http://www.word-detective.com/2009/08/skiff/comment-page-1/#comment-27658 Dot McQueen Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:38:58 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=1368#comment-27658 I'm from Edinburgh in the East Coast of Scotland and talk about a skifter of snow meaning a very light covering. My husband, who is also from Edinburgh, thinks I made it up as he's never heard the word!! And BTW, we have a skifter of snow this morning for the first time this year. Cheers. I’m from Edinburgh in the East Coast of Scotland and talk about a skifter of snow meaning a very light covering. My husband, who is also from Edinburgh, thinks I made it up as he’s never heard the word!!

And BTW, we have a skifter of snow this morning for the first time this year.

Cheers.

]]> By: First Snowfall | the Knobby Knitter http://www.word-detective.com/2009/08/skiff/comment-page-1/#comment-26762 First Snowfall | the Knobby Knitter Sat, 12 Nov 2011 16:47:07 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=1368#comment-26762 [...] the first snowfall of the year. It’s just a skiff mind you, and it’s already melting. Time to get back to work on the Boneyard shawl… [...] [...] the first snowfall of the year. It’s just a skiff mind you, and it’s already melting. Time to get back to work on the Boneyard shawl… [...]

]]> By: October 26, a skiff of snow « SCB Citizen http://www.word-detective.com/2009/08/skiff/comment-page-1/#comment-25827 October 26, a skiff of snow « SCB Citizen Thu, 27 Oct 2011 03:46:52 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=1368#comment-25827 [...] had to turn to the Word Detective for an answer. “a ‘skiff’ of snow is a light flurry or cover of snow, but you can [...] [...] had to turn to the Word Detective for an answer. “a ‘skiff’ of snow is a light flurry or cover of snow, but you can [...]

]]> By: Jeff W. http://www.word-detective.com/2009/08/skiff/comment-page-1/#comment-20049 Jeff W. Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:19:43 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=1368#comment-20049 The way I heard it was, "If if were a skiff, we could hop in and sail away." That goes back to roughly 40 years ago, so I have no idea where I saw or heard it. The way I heard it was, “If if were a skiff, we could hop in and sail away.” That goes back to roughly 40 years ago, so I have no idea where I saw or heard it.

]]> By: A. Junius http://www.word-detective.com/2009/08/skiff/comment-page-1/#comment-14169 A. Junius Tue, 01 Mar 2011 23:36:48 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=1368#comment-14169 Does anyone know the saying that goes "If if were a skiff, we'd be paddling on the river," or something similar to this? Does anyone know the saying that goes “If if were a skiff, we’d be paddling on the river,” or something similar to this?

]]> By: Ratatouille and a Gray Winter Day http://www.word-detective.com/2009/08/skiff/comment-page-1/#comment-11539 Ratatouille and a Gray Winter Day Wed, 12 Jan 2011 08:08:41 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=1368#comment-11539 [...] native Californian eyes are looking out on a gray world with a skiff of snow on the ground from a few lazy flakes drifting from the sky, adding to the thick heavy [...] [...] native Californian eyes are looking out on a gray world with a skiff of snow on the ground from a few lazy flakes drifting from the sky, adding to the thick heavy [...]

]]> By: waxxod http://www.word-detective.com/2009/08/skiff/comment-page-1/#comment-9354 waxxod Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:27:11 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=1368#comment-9354 If you take a swipe at a football and barely touch it, you'd say you'd skiffed it, at least in the part of East Scotland where I grew up. If you take a swipe at a football and barely touch it, you’d say you’d skiffed it, at least in the part of East Scotland where I grew up.

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