skim

B2 · Upper Intermediate Cooking

v. to remove a layer of something, like fat or cream, from the top of a liquid.

v. to remove a floating layer or substance from the surface of a liquid using a utensil.

“Use a large spoon to skim the fat off the top of the soup.”

“The chef instructed the apprentice to carefully skim the foam from the simmering stock to ensure the final consommé remained perfectly clear.”

C1 · Advanced Literary

v. to move quickly and lightly just above or along a surface.

v. to pass or glide lightly over a surface, barely touching it.

“The birds skimmed the surface of the lake looking for fish.”

“The dragonflies skimmed the water's surface, their wings creating tiny, rhythmic ripples in the otherwise still pond.”

C2 · Proficiency Informal · Technical

v. to steal small amounts of money from a business before it is officially recorded.

v. to illegally divert small amounts of money from a business or transaction before the funds are accounted for.

“The manager was caught skimming money from the cash register every Friday.”

“Federal investigators discovered that the casino owners had been skimming profits for years to avoid paying corporate taxes.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. a quick look at a book or document to see what it is about.

n. an act of reading something quickly to grasp the general theme.

“A quick skim of the newspaper told me all I needed to know about the election.”

“After a brief skim of the executive summary, the director felt confident enough to approve the initial phase of the project.”

B1 · Intermediate Cooking American English

adj. describes milk that has had the cream removed so it has very little fat.

adj. referring to milk from which the cream has been removed; non-fat or low-fat.

“I prefer to have skim milk in my coffee to save calories.”

“The recipe specifically calls for skim milk to maintain a light consistency in the custard.”