/skɪm; skɪm/
v (-mm-)
1 [Tn] remove cream, scum, etc from the surface of (a liquid) 撇去（液体）表面的油脂、浮沫等
*skim milk 撇去牛奶上的奶油.2 (a) [Ipr, Tn no passive 不用于被动语态] move or glide lightly over (a surface), not touching it or only occasionally touching it 掠过或擦过（某物的表面）
*swallows skimming (over) the water/along the ground 擦着水面[地面]飞过的燕子
* aircraft skimming the roof-tops 从屋顶上掠过的飞机.
(b) [Tn, Tn.pr] cause (a stone, etc) to pass low over water, bouncing several times 使（石块等）擦过水面, 反弹几次; 用（石块等）打水漂
*skimming pebbles (over the lake) 用小圆石（在湖面上）打水漂.
3 [Ipr, Tn] ~ (through/over) sth read sth quickly, noting only the main points 略读; 浏览
*skim (through) the report in half an hour 用半小时浏览这份报告
* skim over the list, looking for one's name 很快地看着名单, 寻找自己的名字.
4 (phr v) skim sth from/off sth; skim sth off remove (cream, scum, etc) from the surface of a liquid （从液体表面）撇去（油脂、浮沫等）
*skim the cream from the milk 从牛奶上撇去奶油
* skim the fat off (the soup) 把（汤上面的）油撇去.

v past tense and past participleskimmedpresent participleskimming
[Date: 1400-1500; Origin: Perhaps from scum 'to remove scum' (14-19 centuries), from scum (noun)]
[T]
to remove something from the surface of a liquid, especially floating fat, solids, or oil
skim sth off/from sth
　After simmering the meat, skim the fat from the surface.
[I and T]
to read something quickly to find the main facts or ideas in it
= scan
　Julie skimmed the sports page.
skim through/over
　Just skim through the second section to save time.
[T]
to move along quickly over a surface, never touching it or not touching it often
　seagulls skimming the waves
skim over/along/across
　The ball skimmed across the grass and stopped against the wall.
skim stones/pebbles etc
BrE to throw smooth, flat stones into a lake, river etc in a way that makes them jump across the surface
American Equivalent: skip
skim off [skim sb/sth⇔off] phr v
to take the best people or the best part of something for yourself
　Professional sport skims off all the best players.
to take money illegally or dishonestly
　For years his business partner had been skimming off the profits.