skim

Definitions

1. 1.To take off by skimming; as, to skim cream.
2. 2.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. Hazlitt.
3. 3.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.
4. 4.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. Pope.
5. 5.To hasten along with superficial attention. They skim over a science in a very superficial survey. I. Watts.
6. 6.To put on the finishing coat of plaster.
7. 7.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.
8. 8.Scum; refuse. Bryskett.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "skim" mean?
• What is another word for "skim"?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is skim.

• What is to take off by skimming; as, to skim cream called?
• What is 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 called?
• What is 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. Pope called?
• What is to hasten along with superficial attention. They skim over a science in a very superficial survey. I. Watts called?
• What is to put on the finishing coat of plaster called?