skim
skim Lexical Profile
skim Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To read or look through a text quickly and superficially in order to grasp the main points.
"I only had ten minutes before the seminar, so I had to skim the assigned chapter."
To remove a floating substance, such as cream, fat, or foam, from the surface of a liquid.
"Use a wide spoon to skim the excess fat from the top of the simmering broth."
To move or glide quickly and lightly over or just above a surface, barely touching it.
"We watched the swallows skim across the surface of the lake at dusk."
To steal or divert small amounts of money systematically from an account, business, or transaction, or to illegally copy data from a payment card.
"Auditors discovered that the manager had begun to skim cash from the daily receipts before recording them."
• adjective
North American Having had the cream or fat removed from the surface (used especially of milk or dairy products).
"She prefers a splash of skim milk in her morning coffee rather than heavy cream."
• noun
A quick, superficial reading or glance through a document or text.
"A quick skim of the quarterly report revealed several promising trends in customer retention."
North American Milk from which the cream has been removed; skim milk.
"When the barista asked what kind of milk he wanted in his latte, he requested skim."
A thin layer, film, or coating of material formed or applied on a surface.
"A thin skim of ice had formed over the pond overnight."
Word Nuance & Usage
In reading comprehension, 'skim' and 'scan' are often confused: to 'skim' means to read quickly through a text to grasp its general overview or main idea, whereas to 'scan' means to search rapidly through a text to locate a specific piece of information, such as a name or date.
• Rhymes for skim
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Originating in Middle English as 'skimen', the word was borrowed from Old French 'escumer' (to remove scum or foam), which itself derives from a Germanic root related to the English word 'scum'.