or skilligolee, subs. (formerly nautical and prison: now common).—1. A thin broth or soup of oatmeal and water. Hence (2) anything of little or no value. SKILLY AND TOKE = prison fare.
1843. SAMUEL LEECH, Thirty Years from Home, ii. Burgoo, or, as it was sportively called, SKILLAGALEE, was oatmeal boiled in water to the consistency of hasty pudding.
1833. MARRYAT, Peter Simple, I. xii. I am not worth a SKILLAGALEE, and that is the reason which induced me to condescend to serve his majesty.
1857. SNOWDEN, Magistrates Assistant (3rd ed.), 446, s.v. SKILLY. The broth in prisons.
1871. Figaro, 7 Oct. They christened the latter “Cardwell’s SKILLY,” and a course of it would soon turn our Life Guards into the lightest of cavalry.
1883. Daily Telegraph, 19 May, 5, 4. England did not wish her to eat SKILLY, and to wear the “parish dress.”
1889. The Sportsman, 2 Jan. The worthy ones who play hole-and-corner with society are made to partake of the toke of contrition, and the SKILLY of repentance.
1902. EARL OF DESART, Herne Lodge, xvi. The thought of SKILLY … I had very vague ideas … came into my mind.
