# skip

/ˈskɪp/ (US) · /skˈɪp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/skip
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. to move by hopping

verb · CEFR A2

to move forward by jumping lightly from one foot to the other.

For teachers: to move with a light, bouncing step, typically by hopping on alternate feet.

- The children began to skip down the path because they were so excited.
- The young lambs would skip across the meadow in the early morning, displaying a natural agility that delighted the onlookers.

### 2. to omit or miss

verb · CEFR B1

to not do something that you usually do, or to jump over a part of something.

For teachers: to intentionally omit a step in a sequence or fail to attend a scheduled event.

- I was so busy that I had to skip lunch today.
- Advanced students may choose to skip the introductory chapter and proceed directly to the more technical analysis in chapter two.

### 3. to jump rope

verb · CEFR A2 · British English

to jump over a rope that you or others are turning.

For teachers: to engage in the exercise or game of jumping over a revolving rope.

- She can skip for ten minutes without stopping to rest.
- Boxers often skip as part of their conditioning routine to improve their footwork and cardiovascular endurance.

### 4. to bounce off a surface

verb · CEFR B2

to throw something so it bounces off the surface of water or ground.

For teachers: to cause an object to skim or ricochet across a surface.

- We tried to skip flat stones across the calm surface of the lake.
- The pilot managed to skip the small aircraft across the water's surface before it finally came to a halt near the shore.

### 5. to leave suddenly

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to leave a place quickly and secretly, often to avoid trouble.

For teachers: to depart a location suddenly and covertly, typically to evade a debt or legal obligation.

- He decided to skip town before the police could find him.
- The tenant skipped out on his rent, leaving the apartment empty and the landlord with no way to contact him.

### 6. waste container

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

a very large metal box used for holding big amounts of rubbish, usually during building work.

For teachers: a large open-topped container for bulky waste, designed to be lifted onto a specialized truck.

- We hired a skip to get rid of all the old furniture from the attic.
- The driveway was blocked by a massive yellow skip filled with bricks and plaster from the kitchen renovation.

### 7. a captain

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a short name for a captain of a ship or a sports team.

For teachers: an informal abbreviation for 'skipper', denoting the master of a vessel or the captain of a team.

- The skip told the crew to prepare for the incoming storm.
- In the final end of the match, the skip made a brilliant tactical call that secured the victory for the curling team.

## Examples

- I usually skip breakfast when I am in a hurry.
- The students decided to skip the last chapter of the book because it was not on the exam.
- While the athlete would occasionally skip a recovery session to maintain her momentum, her coach insisted that these periods of rest were vital for long-term performance.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.
