/ skɪm; NAmE / verb ( -mm- )
1.
[ vn ] skim (sth off / from) sth to remove fat, cream, etc. from the surface of a liquid :
Skim the scum off the jam and let it cool.
Skim the jam and let it cool.
2.
[ no passive ] skim (along / over, etc.) sth to move quickly and lightly over a surface, not touching it or only touching it occasionally; to make sth do this :
[ v ]
We watched the birds skimming over the lake.
( figurative ) [ vn ]
The speedboat took off, skimming the waves.
( figurative )
This report has barely skimmed the surface of the subject.
( BrE )
Small boys were skimming stones across the water.
—see also skip
3.
skim (through / over) sth to read sth quickly in order to find a particular point or the main points :
[ v ]
He skimmed through the article trying to find his name.
[ vn ]
I always skim the financial section of the newspaper.
4.
[ vn ] ( informal ) to steal small amounts of money frequently over a period of time
5.
[ v , vn ] to illegally copy electronic information from a credit card in order to use it without the owner's permission
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PHRASAL VERBS
- skim sth/sb off
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense remove scum from (a liquid) ): back-formation from skimmer , or from Old French escumer , from escume scum, foam.