skim

Everyday

1. To skim a text is to read it quickly to get the main idea, without reading every word. tree →
2. To skim is to move quickly just over the top of something, like a bird skimming the water. tree →
3. To skim a liquid is to take off the thin layer floating on top, like cream from milk. tree →
4. To skim a flat stone is to throw it so it bounces across water. tree →
5. Skim can also describe milk that has had its fat taken out. tree →

In the lessons

In reading lessons, pupils skim a text to find what it is about and scan it to find a fact. In science and cooking, you skim fat off soup. Outdoors, children skim stones on a lake. Phrases: «skim through», «skim over», «skim off», «skimmed milk».

Examples

• Skim the page first to see what it is about. tree →
• The swallow skimmed low over the pond. tree →
• Dad skimmed the fat off the soup. tree →
• Can you skim a stone so it bounces five times? tree →
• I only skimmed the article, so I missed the details. tree →
• The boat skimmed across the waves. tree →
• Skim the chapter, then read the questions. tree →
• ‘A can of fresh milk, then,’ said the students; ‘but it must not be skim.’ tree →

Note

Regular verb but doubles the m: «skimmed», «skimming». Skimming (quick, for the main idea) is different from scanning (looking for one detail) and from careful reading. «Skim milk» or «skimmed milk» has had most of its cream taken off.