skimy.html - {v. phr.} To do something very superficially. * /He seems knowledgeable in many different areas but his familiarity is very superficial, since he only skims the surface of everything he touches./

skimy.html - v. & n.
--v.

(skimmed, skimming)
1 tr. a take scum or cream or a floating layer from the surface of (a liquid). b take (cream etc.) from the surface of a liquid.
2 tr. a keep touching lightly or nearly touching (a surface) in passing over. b deal with or treat (a subject) superficially.
3 intr. a (often foll. by over, along) go lightly over a surface, glide along in the air. b (foll. by over) = sense 2b of v.
4 a tr. read superficially, look over cursorily, gather the salient facts contained in. b intr. (usu. foll. by through) read or look over cursorily.
5 tr. US sl. conceal or divert (income) to avoid paying tax.

--n.

1 the act or an instance of skimming.
2 a thin covering on a liquid (skim of ice).

skim the cream off take the best part of. skim (or skimmed) milk milk from which the cream has been skimmed. [ME, back-form. f. SKIMMER]

skimy.html - n.
1 a device for skimming liquids.
2 a person who skims.
3 a flat hat, esp. a broad-brimmed straw hat.
4 any long-winged marine bird of the genus Rynchops that feeds by skimming over water with its knifelike lower mandible immersed.
5 a hydroplane, hydrofoil, hovercraft, or other vessel that has little or no displacement at speed.
6 US a sheath-like dress. [ME f. OF escumoir f. escumer f. escume SCUM]

skimy.html - n.
any evergreen shrub of the genus Skimmia, native to E. Asia, with red berries. [mod.L f. Jap.]

skimy.html - v.,
adj., & n. --v.

1 tr. (often foll. by in) supply (a person etc.) meagrely with food, money, etc.
2 tr. use a meagre or insufficient amount of, stint (material, expenses, etc.).
3 intr. be parsimonious.

--adj.

scanty.

--n.

colloq. a small or scanty thing, esp. a skimpy garment. [18th c.: orig. unkn.: cf. SCRIMP]

skimy.html - adj.
(skimpier, skimpiest) meagre; not ample or sufficient.

skimpily adv. skimpiness n.