skirt.html - {v. phr.} To avoid something. * /"Let's not skirt around the facts," said the attorney to his client. "You must tell me the truth."/

skirt.html - n. & v.
--n.

1 a woman's outer garment hanging from the waist.
2 the part of a coat etc. that hangs below the waist.
3 a hanging part round the base of a hovercraft.
4 (in sing. or pl.) an edge, border, or extreme part.
5 (also bit of skirt) sl. offens. a woman regarded as an object of sexual desire.
6 (in full skirt of beef etc.) a the diaphragm and other membranes as food. b Brit. a cut of meat from the lower flank.
7 a flap of a saddle.
8 a surface that conceals or protects the wheels or underside of a vehicle or aircraft.

--v.

1 tr. go along or round or past the edge of.
2 tr. be situated along.
3 tr. avoid dealing with (an issue etc.).
4 intr. (foll. by along) go along the coast, a wall, etc.

skirt-dance a dance with graceful manipulation of a full skirt.

skirted adj. (also in comb.). skirtless adj. [ME f. ON skyrta shirt, corresp. to OE scyrte: see SHIRT]

skirt.html - n.
(in full skirting-board) Brit. a narrow board etc. along the bottom of the wall of a room.

skirt.html - {v. phr.} To avoid something. * /"Let's not skirt around the facts," said the attorney to his client. "You must tell me the truth."/

skirt.html - n. & v.
--n.

the shrill sound characteristic of bagpipes.

--v.

intr. make a skirl. [prob. Scand.: ult. imit.]

skirt.html - n. & v.
--n.

1 a piece of irregular or unpremeditated fighting esp. between small or outlying parts of armies or fleets, a slight engagement.
2 a short argument or contest of wit etc.

--v.

intr. engage in a skirmish.

skirmisher n. [ME f. OF eskirmir, escremir f. Frank.]