Meaning

(intransitive) To pass lightly; to glide along in an even, smooth course; to glide along near the surface..

Definitions by Sense

1. (intransitive) To pass lightly; to glide along in an even, smooth course; to glide along near the surface.
2. (transitive) To pass near the surface of; to brush the surface of; to glide swiftly along the surface of.
3. To hasten along with superficial attention.
4. To put on a finishing coat of plaster.
5. (transitive) To throw an object so it bounces on water.
6. (intransitive) To ricochet.
7. (transitive) To read quickly or describe summarily, skipping some detail.
8. (transitive) To scrape off; to remove (something) from a surface

Example Sentences

Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain, / Flies o'er the unbending corn, and skims along the main.

Homer describes Mercury as flinging himself from the top of Olympus, and skimming the surface of the ocean.

They skim over a science in a very night superficial survey.

Ceilings are lined with fibrous asbestos, the internal plastering being reduced to skimming alone.

skimming stones

(through)

I skimmed the newspaper over breakfast.

to skim milk

Word Forms

• skims
• skimming
• skimmed

Synonyms for skim

Related Words

When Should You Use Skim?

Use skim when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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