Skift of Snow
A skift of snow is a light dusting or thin layer - just enough to whiten the ground. The word survives in Appalachian and Southern mountain speech, rooted in old Scots-Irish dialect.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
Growin' up, we just saying 'a dustin'' - so I'm thinking skift of snow is a little more regional. Hillbilly Dude Says...
Growin' up, we just saying 'a dustin'' - so I'm thinking skift of snow is a little more regional. Pronunciation
[SKIFT of snow]
/skɪft əv snoʊ/
/skɪft əv snoʊ/
Meaning & Usage
- Light Dusting of Snow (noun phrase)
Mamaw:
We had a skift of snow last night.
We had a skift of snow last night.
Papaw:
Ain’t even covered the tracks - sun’ll melt it quick.
Ain’t even covered the tracks - sun’ll melt it quick.- Figurative: A Small Amount
Estel:
A skift of frost on the roof this mornin’.
A skift of frost on the roof this mornin’.
Elmer:
Winter’s knockin’ soft first.
Winter’s knockin’ soft first.★ The same word shows up for frost or dust: "a skift of frost," "a skift of dust." Always means a little bit, never a heap. ★
Origin and Etymology
From Scots and Northern Irish dialect, where skift (verb) meant "to move lightly" or "to scatter." Early settlers carried it to Appalachia, where it took root to describe a thin sprinkling of snow or dust.
Usage Notes
Common in Appalachian mountain speech and older Southern weather talk. Still heard in the highlands and among storytellers who keep regional words alive.