skirting

IPA/skɜːt/
KK[skˈɚtɪŋ]IPA/skɝːt/

skirting — verb

  • skirtingpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • skirtings3rd person singular
  • skirtinging-ing form
  • skirtingedpast simple

1. to move along the outer edge of a place or area rather than going through the mi

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to move along the outer edge of a place or area rather than going through the middle of it

例句

Eri was skirting the edge of the rice field, keeping his shoes dry.

skirt + edge of [place]

The old road skirts the foot of the mountain for nearly ten miles.

同義詞
  • circle

    go all the way around something, not just along one side

  • follow

    move along a line or path, without the edge/border focus

  • edge along

    move slowly and carefully along the border of something

反義詞
  • cross

    go straight through the middle rather than around

  • cut through

    take the shortest path across instead of going around

文法句型

skirt + [edge/border/shore/place]

常見錯誤

The path skirted through the forest.
The path skirted the forest.
💡'skirt' takes a direct object; you go around the edge, not through.

2. to talk around a difficult matter without ever addressing it directly, often bec

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to talk around a difficult matter without ever addressing it directly, often because the full truth is uncomfortable

例句

Anna skirted the question about why she had left her last job.

skirt + [difficult question]

The report skirts the issue of funding for the new hospital wing.

同義詞
  • dodge

    more informal; suggests quick, clever avoidance, like ducking a blow

  • evade

    more formal; often implies deliberately escaping something you should face

  • sidestep

    suggests neatly stepping aside from a difficult issue with skill

反義詞
  • address

    deal with a subject directly and openly

  • confront

    face a difficult issue boldly rather than avoid it

文法句型

skirt + [issue/question/topic/subject]

用法筆記

Object is usually something people find difficult or uncomfortable to talk about: issue, question, topic, problem, truth.

常見錯誤

He skipped the issue during the interview.
He skirted the issue during the interview.
💡'skip' means to omit or leave out; 'skirt' means to talk around something without addressing it directly.

skirting — noun