scote v also skote [phonetics unavailable]. Cp EDD ~ 2 'to put a drag on a wheel' Ha IW W for sense 2.
1 To drag, haul or tow a heavy object.
1924 ENGLAND 86 Through ice defiles and around pinnacles they toiled,each 'scotin' his tow,' bending far forward with the weight of the load. P 65-64 To skote a log is to drag it, bring it, roll it, or to use any means to bring the log from one place to another. T 30/1-642 I've seen men workin' away an' hauling an' pushing an' skoting—that's when you're pulling very hard. T 141/2-652 Lin is comin' in the road scotin' away at this sheep. T 194/5-65 But the other fellers mak[ing] one next winter fourteen fathom deep, an' he's goin' to scote his out in sixteen fathom o' water. C 71-125 ~ To half drag, half carry a heavy load.
2 To struggle against, resist; to brake a sled using one's feet as a drag.
T 141/64-652 An' when he's comin' back an' he's draggin' this sheep—sometimes [the animal will) get up an' make a run, more times he won't; more times he's down scotin' his two forelegs out. P 54-67 I had t' skot wid d' big load o' wood. 1967 READER 49 A man would go in the woods for a load of wood and when he had to come down a steep hill with this loaded sled and his dogs keeping up the pressure, he needed something to act as a brake, and the brake he used was himself and his boots, and this was called 'skotin'.' 1972 MURRAY 132 He or she sat on the rear seat and guided the slide on its run down the slope by the pressure of feet only. This 'skoating' was very hard on the footwear.
3 To strain, toil, work hard.
1940 DOYLE led) 74 "The Six Horse-Power Coaker": So we lashed her with wire and a motor car tire; O how we did labour and scote; / And with posts on each side we earnestly tried / To keep her from leaving the boat. P 184-67 He scotes his heart out at it. C 70-12 If you were returning from the fishing ground after a hard day's work, you were rowing and the wind was blowing against you making it almost impossible to make any headway, when you finally reached the shore you wouid say, 'B'y, I had a hard time scotin' in.'
