Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
⛸️ To skate artistically ⛸️ An ice skate
to figure skate

to figure skate

1 4.4
To perform jumps and dance moves on ice while wearing skates
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈfɪɡjər skeɪt/
translation icon : patinar artístico
  • He wanted to figure skate with her.
  • want to figure skate

Examples

  • Many children are excited to figure skate for the first time after their lessons.

  • She loves to figure skate during the winter months when the outdoor rinks are open.

  • At the competition, he will figure skate to a classical music piece that highlights his skills.

Synonyms

to skate
vsto figure skate
305 1.0

To move smoothly using shoes with blades or wheels on a smooth surface

focuses on artistic dance moves on ice rather than general surface movement
to ice skate
vsto figure skate
5 1.9

To move on ice using boots with metal blades

focuses on artistic and dance movements on ice wearing bladed footwear

Surface Forms

figure skate infinitive
figured skate past
figured skate past participle
figuring skate present participle
figures skate third person singular

Morphology

figure + skate

While 'skate' (to glide on skates) is transparent, the sense of 'figure' here (performing planned shapes or artistic patterns on ice) is a specialized, sport-specific extension of 'figure' that a B1 learner might not infer from the basic noun meaning 'shape'. The overall meaning is partially derivable but relies on knowledge of the established sports term 'figure skating', so it is not fully transparent.

Etymology

Figure skate As a verb, figure skate comes from the same idea: skaters would make careful, dance-like 'figures' on the ice to show style and skill. So to figure skate today means to skate in an artistic, dance way on the ice.