skim
verb
\ ˈskim
\
\
skimmed;
skimming
Definition of skim
(Entry 1 of 3)
1a
: to clear (a liquid) of scum or floating substance
skim boiling syrup
b
: to remove (a film, a layer of scum, etc.) from the surface of a liquid
c
: to remove cream from by skimming
d
: to remove the best or most easily obtainable contents from
2
: to read, study, or examine superficially and rapidly
especially
: to glance through (something, such as a book) for the chief ideas or the plot
3
: to throw in a gliding path
especially
: to throw so as to ricochet along the surface of water
4
: to cover with or as if with a film, scum, or coat
5
: to pass swiftly or lightly over
6a
: to remove or conceal (money, such as a portion of casino profits) to avoid payment of taxes
b
: embezzle
skimming money from employee pension plans
1a
: to pass lightly or hastily : glide or skip along, above, or near a surface
b
: to give a cursory glance, consideration, or reading
2
: to become coated with a thin layer of film or scum
3
: to put on a finishing coat of plaster
4
: to embezzle money
skim
nounDefinition of skim (Entry 2 of 3)
skim
adjectiveDefinition of skim (Entry 3 of 3)
1
: having the cream removed by skimming
2
: made of skim milk
skim cheese
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Examples of skim in a Sentence
Verb
He skimmed the leaves from the pool. The cream is skimmed from the milk. The milk is skimmed before it is bottled. She only skimmed the reading assignment. She only skimmed through the reading assignment.
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
But skimming your toes along the tide is not the same as diving in. — Marissa A. Ross, Bon Appétit, "If You Try One Greek Wine This Fall, Make It This," 28 Aug. 2019 Officers stopped his car shortly after and found $640 cash, 22 blank credit cards and a credit card skimming machine, according to police reports. — Adam Ferrise, cleveland.com, "Man charged in credit-card skimming operation at Cleveland gas station," 26 Aug. 2019 Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer and simmer uncovered for 1½ hours, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. — Los Angeles Times, "Bún Cá Kiên Giang: Vietnamese Fish and Shrimp Rice Noodle Soup," 21 Aug. 2019 Scammers install skimming devices on ATM and gas pump card readers and use them to steal information from people’s debit and credit cards. — Emily Sweeney, BostonGlobe.com, "Stolen laundry and the great toothpaste robbery," 24 July 2019 But the phone's not ringing and the silence skims bone. — Jeffrey Fleishman, chicagotribune.com, "Kathy Griffin made $75 million making people laugh. But the phone’s not ringing," 22 July 2019 Turn 11 proved an especially unpleasant adventure for many, including Will Power and Newgarden, who each spun out upon exiting the turn while Rossi skimmed the wall during the second session. — Jim Ayello, Indianapolis Star, "‘Recharged’ Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud paces first day of practice in Toronto," 12 July 2019 Grab a few issues of the New York Times Book Review and skim the reviews of fiction. — John Wilson, National Review, "H. S. Cross’s Absorbing World," 11 July 2019 Either way, the spat illustrates the growing distrust between small business and major internet platforms that have the power to commandeer their customer relationships and skim their profits. — Ben Muessig, latimes.com, "California Inc.: A sale for the record books," 8 July 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Though some dietitians continue to recommend low-fat or part-skim options, recent research suggests that this, too, might be a more complex issue. — Jenna Birch, Washington Post, "From feta to American slices, a ranking of cheeses by healthfulness," 2 Sep. 2019 Remove from heat, skim at once, and pour into hot, sterilized jars. — oregonlive.com, "Need to know if a fruit is safe to eat? Ask an expert," 23 Aug. 2019 Sample menus replaced hot dogs with whole wheat spaghetti, pizza sticks with chef salads, and whole milk with skim. — Elaine S. Povich, baltimoresun.com, "Students, bored by cafeteria fare, love food delivery services; schools don’t.," 13 Aug. 2019 For cookie lovers who prefer to dunk, there also will be a milk bar serving oat, whole, soy, skim, chocolate and cereal milks. — Phillip Valys, sun-sentinel.com, "Batch, the Cookie Company bringing gourmet cookies and milk bar to Flagler Village in Fort Lauderdale," 5 Aug. 2019 The dairy industry blames rules that limit the fat content of milk in schools for consumption declines, arguing that generations of students are growing up disliking milk because of the watery taste of skim. — Washington Post, "To boost milk, dairy groups support high school coffee bars," 3 July 2019 Return the pot to a boil and cook for 1 minute, then immediately remove the pot from the heat and skim of any foam that has formed. — ExpressNews.com, "Recipe: Mustang Grape Jelly," 26 June 2019 Choose part-skim, unsweetened options and get 2-3 servings per day. — Jaclyn London, Ms, Rd, Cdn, Good Housekeeping, "How Much Sodium You Can Eat Every Day, According to a Nutritionist," 8 Apr. 2019 Vegetarians, sprinkle on a combo of cheeses like part-skim ricotta and shaved parmesan to avoid overloading on total calories or sodium. — Jaclyn London, Ms, Rd, Cdn, Good Housekeeping, "How Healthy Is Chickpea Pasta? A Dietitian Weighs In on Nutrition and Weight-Loss Benefits," 25 Mar. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'skim.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for skim
skim
verb
English Language Learners Definition of skim
: to remove a layer of something from the surface of a liquid
: to look over or read (something) quickly especially to find the main ideas