Skim

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Skim, v. t. [Cf. Sw. skymma to darken. Scum.].

•  To clear (a liquid) from scum or substance floating or lying thereon, by means of a utensil that passes just beneath the surface; as, to skim milk; to skim broth.  [1913 Webster]
•  To take off by skimming; as, to skim cream.  [1913 Webster]
•  To pass near the surface of; to brush the surface of; to glide swiftly along the surface of.  [1913 Webster]

  "Homer describes Mercury as flinging himself from the top of Olympus, and skimming the surface of the ocean."  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]

Skim, v. i. 

•  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."  [1913 Webster]
•  To hasten along with superficial attention.  [1913 Webster]

  "They skim over a science in a very superficial survey."  [1913 Webster]
•  To put on the finishing coat of plaster.  [1913 Webster]

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.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Skim, v. & n.
--v. (skimmed, skimming)
1 tr. a take scum or cream or a floating layer from the surface of (a liquid). b take (cream etc.) from the surface of a liquid.
2 tr. a keep touching lightly or nearly touching (a surface) in passing over. b deal with or treat (a subject) superficially.
3 intr. a (often foll. by over, along) go lightly over a surface, glide along in the air. b (foll. by over) = sense 2b of v.
4 a tr. read superficially, look over cursorily, gather the salient facts contained in. b intr. (usu. foll. by through) read or look over cursorily.
5 tr. US sl. conceal or divert (income) to avoid paying tax.
--n.
1 the act or an instance of skimming.
2 a thin covering on a liquid (skim of ice).

Idiom

skim the cream off take the best part of. skim (or skimmed) milk milk from which the cream has been skimmed.

Etymology

ME, back-form. f. SKIMMER

THESAURUS

Skim

avalanche, ball the jack, barrel, blink, boom, bowl along, breeze, breeze along, browse, brush, brush by, carefully ignore, caress, carom, clip, coast, cold-shoulder, come in contact, contact, cream, cut a corner, cut along, cut corners, dap, dart, dip into, dodge, drift, examine cursorily, fleet, flit, float, flow, fly, fly low, foot, fudge, ghost, give the once-over, glance, glance at, glance over, glance through, glide, glissade, go fast, graze, highball, hit, ice-skate, impinge, kiss, make knots, nip, nudge, osculate, outstrip the wind, page through, pass over, pass over lightly, plow the deep, pour it on, remove, ricochet, ride, ride the sea, rip, roller-skate, rub, run, run over, run through, sail, scamp, scan, scorch, scrape, scratch the surface, scud, separate, shave, shoot, sideslip, sideswipe, sizzle, skate, skateboard, ski, skid, skim over, skim the surface, skimp, skip, skip over, skirt, sled, sleigh, slidder, slide, slide down, slight, slip, slip through, slither, slubber over, slur, slur over, soar, speed, squeak by, storm along, sweep, take off, tear, tear along, thumb over, thumb through, thunder along, toboggan, touch, touch lightly, touch upon, touch upon lightly, walk the waters, whisk, whiz, zing, zip, zip through, zoom

ROGET THESAURUS

Skim

Compendium

VB abridge, abstract, epitomize, summarize, make an abstract, prepare an abstract, draw an abstract, compile an abstract, recapitulate, review, skim, run over, sum up, abbreviate, condense, compile.

Journey

VB travel, journey, course, take a journey, go a journey, take a walk, go out for walk, have a run, take the air, flit, take wing, migrate, emigrate, trek, rove, prowl, roam, range, patrol, pace up and down, traverse, scour the country, traverse the country, peragrate, circumambulate, perambulate, nomadize, wander, ramble, stroll, saunter, hover, go one's rounds, straggle, gad, gad about, expatiate, walk, march, step, tread, pace, plod, wend, go by shank's mare, promenade, trudge, tramp, stalk, stride, straddle, strut, foot it, hoof it, stump, bundle, bowl along, toddle, paddle, tread a path, take horse, ride, drive, trot, amble, canter, prance, fisk, frisk, caracoler, caracole, gallop, embark, board, set out, hit the road, get going, get underway, peg on, jog on, wag on, shuffle on, stir one's stumps, bend one's steps, bend one's course, make one's way, find one's way, wend one's way, pick one's way, pick one's way, thread one's way, plow one's way, slide, glide, coast, skim, skate, march in procession, file on, defile, go to, repair to, resort to, hie to, betake oneself to.

Navigation

VB sail, put to sea, take ship, get under way, set sail, spread sail, spread canvas, gather way, have way on, make sail, carry sail, plow the waves, plow the deep, plow the main, plow the ocean, walk the waters, navigate, warp, luff, scud, boom, kedge, drift, course, cruise, coast, hug the shore, hug the land, circumnavigate, ply the oar, row, paddle, pull, scull, punt, steam, swim, float, buffet the waves, ride the storm, skim, effleurer, dive, wade, fly, be wafted, hover, soar, flutter, jet, orbit, rocket, take wing, take a flight, take off, ascend, blast off, land, alight, wing one's flight, wing one's way, aviate, parachute, jump, glide.

Velocity

VB move quickly, trip, fisk, speed, hie, hasten, post, spank, scuttle, scud, scuddle, scour, scour the plain, scamper, run like mad, beat it, fly, race, run a race, cut away, shot, tear, whisk, zoom, swoosh, sweep, skim, brush, cut along, bowl along, barrel along, barrel, scorch, burn up the track, rush, dash on, dash off, dash forward, bolt, trot, gallop, amble, troll, bound, flit, spring, dart, boom, march in quick time, march in double time, ride hard, get over the ground, hurry, accelerate, put on, quicken, quicken one's pace, mend one's pace, clap spurs to one's horse, make haste, make rapid strides, make forced marches, make the best of one's way, put one's best leg foremost, stir one's stumps, wing one's way, set off at a score, carry sail, crowd sail, go off like a shot, go like a shot, go ahead, gain ground, outstrip the wind, fly on the wings of the wind, keep up with, keep pace with, outstrip, outmarch.

Attention

VB be attentive, attend, advert to, observe, look, see, view, remark, notice, regard, take notice, mark, give attention to, pay attention to, pay heed to, give heed to, incline an ear to, lend an ear to, trouble one's head about, give a thought to, animadvert to, occupy oneself with, contemplate, look at, look to, look after, look into, look over, see to, turn the mind to, bend the mind to, apply the mind to, direct the mind to, give the mind to, turn the eye to, bend the eye to, apply the eye to, direct the eye to, give the eye to, turn the attention to, bend the attention to, apply the attention to, direct the attention to, give the attention to, have an eye to, have in one's eye, bear in mind, take into account, take into consideration, keep in sight, keep in view, have regard to, heed, mind, take cognizance of entertain, recognize, make note of, take note of, note, examine cursorily, glance at, glance upon, glance over, cast the eyes over, pass the eyes over, run over, turn over the leaves, dip into, perstringe, skim, take a cursory view of, examine, examine closely, examine intently, scan, scrutinize, consider, give one's mind to, bend one's mind to, overhaul, revise, pore over, inspect, review, pass under review, take stock of, fix the eye on, rivet attention on, fix attention on, devote the eye to, fix the mind on, devote the thoughts to, hear out, think out, mind one's business, revert to, watch hearken to, listen to, prick up the ears, have the eyes open, keep the eyes open, come to the point, meet with attention, fall under one's notice, fall under one's observation, be under consideration, catch the eye, strike the eye, attract notice, catch the attention, awaken the attention, wake the attention, invite the attention, solicit the attention, attract the attention, claim the attention excite the attention, engage the attention, occupy the attention, strike the attention, arrest the attention, fix the attention, engross the attention, absorb the attention, rivet the attention, catch the mind, awaken the mind, wake the mind, invite the mind, solicit the mind, attract the mind, claim the mind excite the mind, engage the mind, occupy the mind, strike the mind, arrest the mind, fix the mind, engross the mind, absorb the mind, rivet the mind, catch the thoughts, awaken the thoughts, wake the thoughts, invite the thoughts, solicit the thoughts, attract the thoughts, claim the thoughts excite the thoughts, engage the thoughts, occupy the thoughts, strike the thoughts, arrest the thoughts, fix the thoughts, engross the thoughts, absorb the thoughts, rivet the thoughts, be present to the mind, be uppermost in the mind, bring under one's notice, point out, point to, point at, point the finger at, lay the finger on, indigitate, indicate, direct attention to, call attention to, show, put a mark upon, call soldiers to 'attention', bring forward.

Neglect

VB be negligent, take no care of &c (take care of), neglect, let slip, let go, lay aside, set aside, cst aside, put aside, keep out of sight, put out of sight, lose sight of, overlook, disregard, pass over, pas by, let pass, blink, wink at, connive at, gloss over, take no note of, take no thought of, take no account of, take no notice of, pay no regard to, laisser aller, scamp, trifle, fribble, do by halves, cut, slight, play with, trifle with, slur, skim, skim the surface, effleurer, take a cursory view of, slur over, skip over, jump over, slip over, pretermit, miss, skip, jump, omit, give the go-by to, push aside, pigeonhole, shelve, sink, table, ignore, shut one's eyes to, refuse to hear, turn a deaf ear to, leave out of one's calculation, not attend to, not mind, not trouble oneself about, not trouble one's head about, not trouble oneself with, forget, be caught napping, leave a loose thread, let the grass grow under one's feet, render neglectful, put off one's guard, throw off one's guard, distract, divert.