skim

skim
/skim/, v., skimmed, skimming, n.
v.t.
1. to take up or remove (floating matter) from the surface of a liquid, as with a spoon or ladle: to skim the cream from milk.
2. to clear (liquid) thus: to skim milk.
3. to move or glide lightly over or along (a surface, as of water): The sailboat skimmed the lake.
4. to throw in a smooth, gliding path over or near a surface, or so as to bounce or ricochet along a surface: to skim a stone across the lake.
5. to read, study, consider, treat, etc., in a superficial or cursory manner.
6. to cover, as a liquid, 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 skimmed the flea markets early in the morning.
8. to take (the best or most available parts or items) from something: The real bargains had been skimmed by early shoppers.
9. Metall. to remove (slag, scum, or dross) from the surface of molten metal.
10. Slang.
a. to conceal a portion of (winnings, earnings, etc.) in order to avoid paying income taxes, commissions, or the like on the actual total revenue (sometimes fol. by off): The casino skimmed two million a year.
b. to take, remove, or appropriate for illegal use: to skim information from another's credit card.
v.i.
11. to pass or glide lightly over or near a surface.
12. to read, study, consider, etc., something in a superficial or cursory way.
13. to become covered with a thin film or layer.
14. Slang. to conceal gambling or other profits so as to avoid paying taxes, etc.; practice skimming.
n.
15. an act or instance of skimming.
16. something that is skimmed off.
17. a thin layer or film formed on the surface of something, esp. a liquid, as the coagulated protein material formed on boiled milk.
18. a thin layer, as of mortar.
19. Slang. the amount taken or concealed by skimming.
20. See skim milk.
21. Obs. scum.
[1375-1425; late ME skymen, skemen, var. of scumen to skim; see SCUM]
Syn. 5. scan. 12. glance.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • skim — [skım] v past tense and past participle skimmed present participle skimming [Date: 1400 1500; Origin: Perhaps from scum to remove scum (14 19 centuries), from scum (noun)] 1.) [T] to remove something from the surface of a liquid, especially… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • skim — skim; skim·mel·ton; skim·mia; skim·ming; skim·ming·ly; skim·ming·ton; skim·mi·ty; skim·ble skam·ble; skim·mer; skim·mer·ton; …   English syllables

  • skim — [skɪm] verb skimmed PTandPPX skimming PRESPARTX [transitive] also skim off to take money illegally, for example by not saying that you have made profits so that you do not have to pay tax: • He was accused of s …   Financial and business terms

  • skim — [ skım ] verb 1. ) intransitive or transitive to move quickly over the surface of something, or to make something do this: We stood on the bridge watching swallows skimming the water. skim across/over: Water skiers skimmed across the bay. a )… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Skim — (sk[i^]m), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Skimmed} (sk[i^]md); p. pr. & vb. n. {Skimming}.] [Cf. Sw. skymma to darken. [root]158. See {Scum}.] 1. To clear (a liquid) from scum or substance floating or lying thereon, by means of a utensil that passes just… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Skim — Skim, a. Contraction of {Skimming} and {Skimmed}. [1913 Webster] {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 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Skim — may refer to:*Skimming (reading), a high speed reading process *Skimboarding, a sport which involves riding a board on wet sand or shallow water *Skimming (casinos), a practice in which organized crime took part of the take collected by casinos… …   Wikipedia

  • skim — [skim] vt. skimmed, skimming [ME skimen, prob. akin to SCUM] 1. a) to clear (a liquid) of floating matter b) to remove (floating matter) from a liquid 2. to coat or cover with a thin layer [a pond skimmed with ice] …   English World dictionary

  • Skim — Skim, v. i. 1. To pass lightly; to glide along in an even, smooth course; to glide along near the surface. [1913 Webster] Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain, Flies o er the unbending corn, and skims along the main. Pope. [1913 Webster] 2 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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