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to skim

to skim

1 4.1
Cover a liquid with a thin layer of something
  • verb
  • /skɪm/
translation icon : recubrir
  • Skim milk, please.

Examples

  • It smells so good, like sugar cookie dough and just skim a little bit of that over top.

  • Now this is where we're going to use the brush, like the pen in the same angle, same pressure, skim the skin, don't press it too hard.

  • She decided to skim a thin layer of cream off the top of the soup to enhance its texture.

  • After boiling the broth, he always skims any floating fat before serving.

  • To prepare the cake, you just need to skim a little icing over the top for decoration.

Synonyms

to apply
vsto skim
263 1.3

Put a substance onto a surface to cover it

is used specifically for adding a thin layer to a liquid
to wash
vsto skim
  • Specialized
25 6.8

To cover something with a thin layer of paint or metal

is for coating liquids with a thin layer rather than solid surfaces
to overlay
vsto skim
11 4.2

To cover something with a layer of material

is used to coat a liquid with a very thin added layer

Antonyms

176 1.0

To cover a place with water when it overflows

34 3.0

Make someone or something completely wet with a lot of liquid

Phrasal Verbs

1 3.8

To read quickly without looking at details

1 3.7

Take oil or fat from the top of a liquid using a spoon

1 3.9

To move quickly and lightly just above a surface

1 4.6

Take the best people or things from a group, leaving the rest behind

to cream-skim
  • Jargon
7.8

To take only the best or most profitable choices and leave others behind

Compounds

11 2.0

Milk with the cream removed so it has little fat

How Thick

to cover
1.0
to coat
105 2.8
to skim
1 4.1
film
191 3.2
to mist
4 2.8

Surface Forms

skim infinitive
skimmed past
skimmed past participle
skimming present participle
skims third person singular

Etymology

To skim a liquid with a thin layer means to cover its surface lightly, using the same image of working only on the top. So to skim a soup or paint is to put a thin film over the surface.