skim

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Skimmed p. pr. & vb. n. Skimming. ] [ Cf. Sw. skymma to darken. √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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To take off by skimming; as, to skim cream. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To pass near the surface of; to brush the surface of; to glide swiftly along the surface of. [ 1913 Webster ]

Homer describes Mercury as flinging himself from the top of Olympus, and skimming the surface of the ocean. Hazlitt. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To pass lightly; to glide along in an even, smooth course; to glide along near the surface. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain,
Flies o'er the unbending corn, and skims along the main. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To hasten along with superficial attention. [ 1913 Webster ]

They skim over a science in a very superficial survey. I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To put on the finishing coat of plaster. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The quillback. [ Local, U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ A reduplication of scamble. ] Rambling; disorderly; unconnected. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Such a deal of skimble-scamble stuff. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Skimmington. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, skims; esp., a utensil with which liquids are skimmed. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) Any species of longwinged marine birds of the genus Rhynchops, allied to the terns, but having the lower mandible compressed and much longer than the upper one. These birds fly rapidly along the surface of the water, with the lower mandible immersed, thus skimming out small fishes. The American species (Rhynchops nigra) is common on the southern coasts of the United States. Called also scissorbill, and shearbill. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) Any one of several large bivalve shells, sometimes used for skimming milk, as the sea clams, and large scallops. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Skimmington. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of one who skims. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is skimmed from the surface of a liquid; -- chiefly used in the plural; as, the skimmings of broth. [ 1913 Webster ]