Green’s Dictionary of Slang

skittles n.1

[i.e. one can ‘knock it down’ easily; note chess jargon skittles, chess played without serious application]

nonsense, rubbish; also used as excl. skittles! rubbish!

Show quotations
Orchestra 12 Nov. 106: ‘To Correspondents.’ Se faire applaudir is not ‘to make onesself applauded,’ and ‘joyous comedian’ is simply skittles [F&H].
[UK]Kipling Civil and Military Gazette 25 Dec. in Pinney (1987) 130: ‘Skittles!’ retorted Le Diable Boiteux scornfully.
[UK]Kipling ‘Pagett, M.P.’ in Departmental Ditties 53: March went out with the roses. ‘Where is your heat?’ said he. / ‘Coming,’ I said to Pagett. ‘Skittles!’ said Pagett, M.P.
Boothby Maker of Nations v n.p.: Skittles it would have been and of the most desperate description... I can tell I was just about played out [F&H].
[US]O. Strange Sudden Takes the Trail 60: Skittles! you couldn’t help yore hoss playin’ out on you.