skim
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skim
(skĭm)v. skimmed, skim·ming, skims
v.tr.
1.
a. To remove floating matter from (a liquid).
b. To remove (floating matter) from a liquid.
2.
a. To embezzle (money) by taking a small portion on each transaction: corrupt governments skimming money from foreign aid.
b. To fail to declare part of (certain income, such as winnings) to avoid tax payment.
c. To copy information from (a credit card) as part of a skimming fraud.
3. To coat or cover with a thin layer: "the still, shallow water solidly frozen and skimmed with white" (Barbara Hurd).
4.
a. To throw so as to bounce or slide: skimming stones on the pond.
b. To glide or pass quickly and lightly over or along (a surface). See Synonyms at brush1.
5.
a. To read or glance through (a book, for example) quickly or superficially.
b. To glance over quickly; scan: skimmed the crowd for a familiar face.
c. To touch lightly or superficially on: a survey course that barely skimmed the surface of Latin American history.
v.intr.
1. To move or pass swiftly and lightly over or near a surface; glide.
2. To fail to declare certain income to avoid tax payment.
3. To give a quick and superficial reading, scrutiny, or consideration; glance: skimmed through the newspaper.
4. To become coated with a thin layer.
n.
1. The act of skimming.
2. Something that has been skimmed.
3. A thin layer or film: a skim of ice on the pond.
4. The money stolen by skimming from an account or business operation.
[Middle English skimmen, perhaps from Old French escumer, to remove scum, from escume, scum, of Germanic origin; see (s)keu- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
skim
(skɪm)vb, skims, skimming or skimmed
1. (tr) to remove floating material from the surface of (a liquid), as with a spoon: to skim milk.
2. to glide smoothly or lightly over (a surface)
3. (tr) to throw (something) in a path over a surface, so as to bounce or ricochet: to skim stones over water.
4. (Literary & Literary Critical Terms) (when: intr, usually foll by through) to read (a book) in a superficial or cursory manner
5. to cover (a liquid) with a thin layer or (of liquid) to become coated in this way, as with ice, scum, etc
n
6. the act or process of skimming
7. (Cookery) material skimmed off a liquid, esp off milk
8. the liquid left after skimming
9. any thin layer covering a surface
[C15 skimmen, probably from scumen to skim; see scum]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
skim
(skɪm)v. skimmed, skim•ming,
n. v.t.
1. to take up or remove (floating matter) from the surface of a liquid, as with a spoon or ladle.
2. to clear (liquid) thus: to skim milk.
3. to move or glide lightly over or along (a surface, as of water).
4. to throw in a smooth, gliding path over or near a surface, or so as to bounce or ricochet along a surface: skimmed a stone across the lake.
5. to read, study, consider, treat, etc., in a superficial or cursory manner.
6. to cover with a thin film or layer: Ice skimmed the lake at night.
7. to take the best or most available parts or items from: bargain hunters skimming the flea markets at sunrise.
8. to take (the best parts or items) from something.
9. to conceal a portion of (winnings, earnings, etc.) in order to avoid paying taxes, fees, or the like on the full amount (sometimes fol. by off).
v.i. 10. to pass or glide lightly over or near a surface.
11. to read, study, consider, etc., something in a superficial or cursory way.
12. to become covered with a thin film or layer.
13. to conceal some part of income or profits; practice skimming.
n. 14. an act or instance of skimming.
15. something that is skimmed off.
16. a thin layer or film formed on the surface of something, esp. a liquid.
17. the amount taken or concealed by skimming.
18. skim milk.
[1375–1425; Middle English skymen, skemen < Old French escumer, derivative of escume impurities, scum < Vulgar Latin *scūma « West Germanic; see scum]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
skim
Past participle: skimmed
Gerund: skimming
| Imperative |
|---|
| skim |
| skim |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
skim
To remove fat or scum from the surface of a liquid.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  skim - a thin layer covering the surface of a liquid; "there was a thin skim of oil on the water"covering, natural covering, cover - a natural object that covers or envelops; "under a covering of dust"; "the fox was flushed from its cover" |
| 2. | skim - reading or glancing through quickly reading - the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message; "his main reading was detective stories"; "suggestions for further reading" | |
| Verb | 1. | skim - travel on the surface of water glide - move smoothly and effortlessly aquaplane - ride on an aquaplane aquaplane - rise up onto a thin film of water between the tires and road so that there is no more contact with the road; "the car aquaplaned" |
| 2. | skim - move or pass swiftly and lightly over the surface of touch - make physical contact with, come in contact with; "Touch the stone for good luck"; "She never touched her husband" | |
| 3. | skim - examine hastily; "She scanned the newspaper headlines while waiting for the taxi" | |
| 4. | skim - cause to skip over a surface; "Skip a stone across the pond" throw - propel through the air; "throw a frisbee" | |
| 5. | skim - coat (a liquid) with a layer | |
| 6. |  skim - remove from the surface; "skim cream from the surface of milk" | |
| 7. | skim - read superficially read - interpret something that is written or printed; "read the advertisement"; "Have you read Salman Rushdie?" | |
| Adj. | 1. | skim - used of milk and milk products from which the cream has been removed; "yogurt made with skim milk"; "she can drink skimmed milk but should avoid butter" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
skim
verb
3. (usually with over or through) scan, glance, run your eye over, thumb or leaf through I only had time to skim over the script before I came here.
skim something off embezzle, steal, misappropriate, trouser (slang), defraud, knock off (slang), spirit away If I read this right, he skimmed off about thirty million.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
skim
verb1. To strike a surface at such an angle as to be deflected:
4. To look through reading matter casually:
browse, dip into, flip through, glance at (or over) (or through), leaf (through), riffle (through), run through, scan, thumb (through).
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يَتَصَفَّح، يَقْرأ بِسُرْعَهيَقْشُديَمُر مُرورا سَطْحِيّا
listovatsbíratklouzat
skimmeskumme
kimmotakuoria
felületesen átfutsúrol
fleyta ofan afhlaupa yfirrenna yfir
nugriebtas pienasnugriebtiperbėgti akimisperversti
izšķirstītnokrejotnoņemtnosmeltpārslīdēt acīm
răsfoi
ögna igenomskumma
çabucak gözden geçirmeksekmeksıyırıp almaküzerinden kaymak
skim
[skɪm]A. VT
1. [+ milk] → desnatar, descremar; [+ soup, liquid] → espumar
to skim the cream off the milk → quitar la nata a la leche, desnatar la leche
skimmed milk → leche f descremada or desnatada
to skim the cream off the milk → quitar la nata a la leche, desnatar la leche
skimmed milk → leche f descremada or desnatada
4. (fig) [+ subject] → tratar superficialmente
B. VI to skim across/along the ground → pasar rozando la tierra
to skim through a book (fig) → echar una ojeada or hojear a un libro
to skim through a book (fig) → echar una ojeada or hojear a un libro
skim off VT + ADV [+ cream, grease] → desnatar
they skimmed off the brightest pupils → separaron a la flor y nata de los alumnos
they skimmed off the brightest pupils → separaron a la flor y nata de los alumnos
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
skim
[ˈskɪm]Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
skim
vt
(= pass low over) → streifen or streichen über (+acc); (fig: = touch on) → berühren; he skimmed stones across the water → er ließ Steine übers Wasser hüpfen or springen; he skimmed his hat across the room → er schleuderte seinen Hut quer durchs Zimmer; the book merely skims the surface of the problem → das Buch berührt das Problem nur an der Oberfläche
(= read quickly) → überfliegen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
skim
[skɪm]Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
skim
(skim) – past tense, past participle skimmed – verb1. to remove (floating matter, eg cream) from the surface of (a liquid). Skim the fat off the gravy.
2. to move lightly and quickly over (a surface). The skier skimmed across the snow.
3. to read (something) quickly, missing out parts. She skimmed (through) the book.
skim milk, skimmed milk milk from which the cream has been skimmed.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.