skainsmate

Questions

What does skainsmate mean?

A messmate; a companion.

Where does skainsmate come from?

Etymology and meaning uncertain. Possibly from skean (“sword”) or skein (“quantity of thread”) + -s- + mate (“companion; comrade; colleague”). * Sword could imply a companion in arms or a cutthroat; or it may be a euphemism for penis and hence a sexual companion. * Thread could also mean either a companion in winding thread, possibly a sailor or seamstress, or a sexual metaphor equating sewing with sexual intercourse. Flirt-gill (“promiscuous woman”) in the same passage suggests a sexual interpretation.

How to pronounce skainsmate

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “skainsmate”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “skainsmate”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “skainsmate” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.