skimmed
skimmed — verb
1. to fly or glide fast and close to a surface, staying near it but never letting a
to fly or glide fast and close to a surface, staying near it but never letting any part touch it
The seagulls skimmed low over the harbour water, chasing the fishing boats.
skim + over + surface (gliding close above)
Arjun watched a kingfisher skim across the pond before it shot upward into the trees.
skim + across + surface
The speedboat skimmed along the calm bay, barely leaving a ripple behind it.
A small plane skimmed over the green fields before landing at the tiny airfield.
Dragonflies skimmed just above the still pond, their wings flashing in the afternoon sun.
文法句型
skim + across/over/along + surface
用法筆記
Subject is usually something light or fast (a bird, a boat, blowing dust) and the path is described with across/over/along. Distinguish from sense 4: here nothing touches the surface; in sense 4 you lift material off it.
2. to send a smooth, flat stone skidding low over water so it bounces off the top a
to send a smooth, flat stone skidding low over water so it bounces off the top a few times before sinking
Benjamin skimmed a smooth pebble across the lake and counted seven bounces.
skim + stone + across + water (bouncing throw)
The children spent the whole afternoon skimming stones from the river bank.
plural subject; skim + stones
Yasmin showed her little brother how to skim a flat stone over the pond.
Felipe picked up a thin grey pebble and skimmed it toward the far shore.
On the beach at dusk, two friends took turns skimming pebbles into the gentle waves.
- skip
American English often uses 'skip stones' for the same action
文法句型
skim + stone + across/over + water
用法筆記
The object is almost always a flat, smooth stone or pebble, and the goal is bounces on the water. Often written as 'skim stones' as a leisure activity.
3. to read a text fast, looking only for the main ideas and skipping the small deta
to read a text fast, looking only for the main ideas and skipping the small details
Talia skimmed the long report on the train and noted only the key figures.
skim + text for main points
Before the meeting, Christopher quickly skimmed through the email to catch the deadline.
skim through + text
With only ten minutes before class, Min skimmed the history chapter for the key dates.
The busy nurse skimmed the patient's notes between two shifts.
Élise skimmed the news headlines over breakfast and saved the full stories for later.
- scan
scan is searching for one specific item; skim is grasping the overall gist
- glance through
even quicker and more casual than skim
- pore over
to read very slowly and with great attention
文法句型
skim + text
skim through + text
用法筆記
Often paired with 'through' and contrasted with reading carefully. Object is usually a piece of writing (a report, article, chapter, email). Common in study and work contexts where time is short.
常見錯誤
4. to take a solid or thick layer off the top of a liquid, or to take the best part
to take a solid or thick layer off the top of a liquid, or to take the best parts of something for yourself
Dahlia skimmed the white foam off the top of the boiling soup with a spoon.
skim + substance + off + liquid
The cook skimmed the fat from the gravy before pouring it over the meat.
skim + substance + from + liquid
Workers skimmed the thick oil off the polluted river after the spill.
The manager was accused of skimming the best clients for his own private firm.
Alessia carefully skimmed the cream from the top of the fresh milk.
文法句型
skim + substance + off/from + liquid
用法筆記
Often followed by 'off' or 'from'. The object is the unwanted top layer (foam, fat, oil) or, figuratively, the most valuable part of something. Distinguish from sense 1, where nothing is removed.
5. to steal money or secret card details bit by bit, for example by hiding a device
to steal money or secret card details bit by bit, for example by hiding a device on a machine or quietly keeping part of the cash
Thieves had skimmed the card numbers using a tiny device hidden in the gas pump.
skim + card details (secret recording)
The cashier was caught skimming small amounts of cash from the till each day.
skim + cash (quietly keeping part)
Police warned that criminals were skimming bank cards at unguarded street machines.
The accountant had been skimming company funds into a secret account for years.
Online sellers worried that a hidden program was skimming their customers' card data.
- embezzle
more formal; specifically stealing money you were trusted to manage
- siphon off
to divert money quietly, often over time
文法句型
skim + money/card details
用法筆記
Always about dishonest taking, usually a little at a time so it is hard to notice. Object is money, profits, or card/account details. Often appears with 'device', 'card', or 'funds'.
skimmed — noun
1. a very thin layer of something spread over a surface
a very thin layer of something spread over a surface
A thin skim of ice covered the puddles in the school yard this morning.
a skim of + substance (thin layer)
The builder spread a light skim of plaster over the rough kitchen wall.
skim of plaster (building term)
There was only a faint skim of dust on the old piano lid.
A pale skim of oil floated on the surface of the still pond.
文法句型
a skim of + substance
用法筆記
Often followed by 'of' plus the material (a skim of ice, plaster, dust). Emphasises how thin the layer is. More technical or literary than the everyday verb.
2. a fast read of something to get the main idea rather than the full detail
a fast read of something to get the main idea rather than the full detail
Talia gave the contract a quick skim before signing at the bottom.
a quick skim of + text
Arjun gave the science article a first skim and guessed it was about city pollution.
skim describing a brief reading
After a five-minute skim, the editor knew which pages needed real attention.
The teacher said a quick skim of the notes was not enough for the exam.
文法句型
a quick skim of + text
用法筆記
Usually appears as 'a quick skim' or 'a first skim' and pairs with 'give something a skim'. Distinguish from sense 1: this is the act of reading fast, not a physical layer.
3. the stuff that has been lifted off the top of a liquid
the stuff that has been lifted off the top of a liquid
The dairy worker poured the skim from the milk into a separate metal pail.
the skim = material taken off the top
A grey skim of fat had collected at the edge of the cooling stew.
Quan tipped the oily skim from the soup pot into the sink.
The farmer used the leftover skim to feed the young calves in the barn.
- scum
scum is usually unwanted; a skim can be a useful by-product like cream
文法句型
the skim + from/off + liquid
用法筆記
Refers to the removed top layer itself (fat, foam, cream), not the act. Mostly used in dairy and cooking contexts. Distinguish from sense 1, which is the layer in place rather than after removal.
skimmed — adjective
1. describing milk that has had its fatty cream taken off the top
describing milk that has had its fatty cream taken off the top
Talia always buys skimmed milk because she is trying to eat less fat.
skimmed + milk (cream taken off)
The cafe offers skimmed milk for customers who want a lighter coffee.
attributive use before milk
A glass of skimmed milk has far less fat than a glass of full cream.
The recipe asked for warm skimmed milk and a spoonful of honey.
- fat-free
marketing term; emphasises no fat rather than the removal process
- whole
whole milk keeps all its natural cream
- full-cream
British term for milk with all the cream left in
文法句型
skimmed + milk
用法筆記
Almost always before a noun, especially 'milk'. British English; American English usually says 'skim milk'. Contrasts with whole or full-cream milk.
2. made using milk that has already had the cream removed
made using milk that has already had the cream removed
The shop sells skimmed yogurt for shoppers watching their daily fat intake.
skimmed + dairy product (made from skim milk)
Yasmin chose the skimmed cheese because it had fewer calories than the regular kind.
attributive use before another dairy noun
Many low-fat desserts are made with skimmed milk powder instead of cream.
The gym cafe serves a protein shake based on skimmed dairy products.
- low-fat
broader; covers any reduced-fat dairy, not only skim-milk-based
- full-fat
made with milk that keeps all its cream
文法句型
skimmed + dairy product
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: here the noun is a product (yogurt, cheese, powder) made from skim milk, not the milk itself. Always attributive.