Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Skim \Skim\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Skimmed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Skimming}.] [Cf. Sw. skymma to darken. [root]158. See
{Scum}.]
1. 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.
2. To take off by skimming; as, to skim cream.
3. To pass near the surface of; to brush the surface of; to
glide swiftly along the surface of.
Homer describes Mercury as flinging himself from the
top of Olympus, and skimming the surface of the
ocean. --Hazlitt.
4. 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.
Source : WordNet®
skim
v 1: travel on the surface of water [syn: {plane}]
2: move or pass swiftly and lightly over the surface of [syn: {skim
over}]
3: examine hastily; "She scanned the newspaper headlines while
waiting for the taxi" [syn: {scan}, {rake}, {glance over},
{run down}]
4: cause to skip over a surface; "Skip a stone across the pond"
[syn: {skip}, {skitter}]
5: coat (a liquid) with a layer
6: remove from the surface; "skim cream from the surface of
milk" [syn: {skim off}, {cream off}, {cream}]
7: read superficially [syn: {skim over}]
[also: {skimming}, {skimmed}]
skim
n 1: a thin layer covering the surface of a liquid; "there was a
thin skim of oil on the water"
2: reading or glancing through quickly [syn: {skimming}]
[also: {skimming}, {skimmed}]
skim
adj : used of milk and milk products from which the cream has been
removed; "yogurt made with skim milk"; "she can drink
skimmed milk but should avoid butter" [syn: {skimmed}]
[also: {skimming}, {skimmed}]
skimmed
adj : used of milk and milk products from which the cream has been
removed; "yogurt made with skim milk"; "she can drink
skimmed milk but should avoid butter" [syn: {skim}]
skimmed
See {skim}