Skim

/skɪm/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A thin layer that is formed on the surface of a liquid.

There was a skim of ice on the pond after the cold night.

verb

To remove a substance from the surface of a liquid.

She skimmed the foam off the top of the soup.

To read or glance through quickly.

He skimmed the article before deciding to read it more thoroughly.

To glide or slide over a surface, typically water.

The boat skimmed across the lake's surface.

Middle English 'skimmen', from Old Norse 'skíma' meaning 'to glimmer, shine'.

skim the surface

To examine a topic superficially without going into depth.

skim milk

Milk from which the cream has been removed.

skim read

To read quickly to get a general idea of the content.

skimmer

A device or person that removes surface material.

skimpy

Insufficient in quantity or size.

To cheat or take advantage of someone subtly.

He tried to skim some money off the top during the transaction.

To briefly check out something (like a website or social media post).

I just skimmed through his profile to see his recent activity.