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/skɪm/ Listen

verb

Skim v. t. (past & past part. skimmed; pres. part. skimming)

To clear (a liquid) from scum or substance floating or lying thereon, by means of a utensil that passes just beneath the surface; as, to skim milk; to skim broth.

To take off by skimming; as, to skim cream.

To pass near the surface of; to brush the surface of; to glide swiftly along the surface of. "Homer describes Mercury as flinging himself from the top of Olympus, and skimming the surface of the ocean."

Fig.: To read or examine superficially and rapidly, in order to cull the principal facts or thoughts; as, to skim a book or a newspaper.

Skim v. i.

To pass lightly; to glide along in an even, smooth course; to glide along near the surface. "Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain, Flies o'er the unbending corn, and skims along the main."

To hasten along with superficial attention. "They skim over a science in a very superficial survey."

To put on the finishing coat of plaster.

adjective

Skim adj. Contraction of Skimming and Skimmed.

Skim coat, the final or finishing coat of plaster.

Skim colter, a colter for paring off the surface of land.

Skim milk, skimmed milk; milk from which the cream has been taken.

See images of 'Skim'

Etymology of 'Skim'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Skim" Quotes from Famous Books

... hear, General Dingo seemed to be kindly contributing some noise while we feasted. There were guns going off around town, and pretty soon we heard that cannon go 'BOOM!' just as he said it would. And then men began to skim along the edge of the plaza, dodging in among the orange trees and houses. We certainly had things stirred up in Salvador. We felt proud of the occasion and grateful to General Dingo. Sterrett was about to take a bite off a juicy piece of rib when a bullet ...

— Roads of Destiny • O. Henry

... were true that Messala had attained his utmost speed, the effort was with effect; slowly but certainly he was beginning to forge ahead. His horses were running with their heads low down; from the balcony their bodies appeared actually to skim the earth; their nostrils showed blood red in expansion; their eyes seemed straining in their sockets. Certainly the good steeds were doing their best! How long could they keep the pace? It was but the commencement of the sixth round. On they dashed. As they ...

— Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ • Lew Wallace

... giovane; I am but repeating what I hear in my shop; as you may perceive, my eloquence is simply the cream which I skim off my clients' talk. Heaven forbid I should fetter my impartiality by entertaining an opinion. And for that same scholarly objection to the Greeks," added Nello, in a more mocking tone, and with a significant grimace, "the fact is, you are heretics, Messer; jealousy has nothing to do with it: ...

— Romola • George Eliot

... not a calf we have; we will not spoil his dinner. But you may skim it and give him ...

— Gilian The Dreamer - His Fancy, His Love and Adventure • Neil Munro

... airship would skim along on the level, and again it would be pitched and tossed about, until it was all the occupants could do to keep their feet. Mr. Damon was continually blessing everything ...

— Tom Swift and his Wizard Camera - or, Thrilling Adventures while taking Moving Pictures • Victor Appleton

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