rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryskimLight surface movement
verb / noun

skim

To pass lightly over a surface.

A swallow skims the pond's surface as it hunts for insects.

Etymology

Skim extends from dealing with the top layer of liquid to moving lightly across a surface. The motion makes little or no deep contact.

More examples

  • She skims a flat stone across the water.
  • I skim the report before the meeting.
  • A quick skim of the instructions gives me the basic idea.

Forms

skim · skims · skimmed · skimming

Similar words

glide
Glide emphasizes smooth, continuous movement, not necessarily near a surface.
skip
Skip suggests repeated short bounces rather than continuous surface movement.
scan
Scan often means searching for specific information rather than reading generally.