skim

skim — 動詞

1. to move fast and close to a surface without landing on it, passing by with only

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

掠過

輕快地掠過表面

to move fast and close to a surface without landing on it, passing by with only light or no contact

例句

A seabird skimmed across the waves looking for fish.

一隻海鳥掠過海浪，尋找魚群。

skim + across + noun phrase showing path

The small boat skimmed over the calm lake toward the island.

小船輕快地掠過平靜的湖面，朝小島駛去。

同義詞
  • glide

    Suggests smoother, more sustained movement without any contact

  • brush

    Implies actual light contact, not just near-miss movement

反義詞
  • plunge

    Sudden deep movement into something rather than passing over it

文法句型

skim + over/across + noun phrase

skim + noun phrase (the surface)

用法筆記

Often takes a prepositional phrase with 'over' or 'across' describing the surface. When used transitively, the object is typically the surface itself (e.g. 'skim the water').

常見錯誤

❌The plane skimmed the runway and landed.
✅The plane skimmed the runway before lifting off again.
💡'skim' means light or no contact, not a normal landing.

2. to make a flat stone or similar object bounce across water by throwing it at a l

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

打水漂

使石片在水面彈跳

to make a flat stone or similar object bounce across water by throwing it at a low angle so that it rises each time it touches the surface

例句

Dahlia taught her younger brother how to skim stones at the beach.

Dahlia 在海灘教她的弟弟如何打水漂。

pattern: skim + stones (plural, generic object)

Christopher watched the flat pebble skim across the water seven times.

Christopher 看著那片扁平的石子在水面上彈跳了七次。

同義詞
  • skip

    More common term in British English for the same activity ('skip stones')

  • bounce

    Describes the motion of the stone but is not used as a verb for the whole action

文法句型

skim + a stone/pebble + across/over + noun phrase

the stone + skims + across + noun phrase

用法筆記

Commonly appears with 'stone' or 'pebble' as the object. The activity is often called 'skipping stones' in American English. The stone needs to be flat and light for the action to work.

3. to read something fast, focusing only on the main ideas or specific details inst

3.動詞及物B1
釋義

瀏覽

快速閱讀以掌握要點

to read something fast, focusing only on the main ideas or specific details instead of every word

例句

Élise skimmed the newspaper headlines while waiting for her coffee.

Élise 一邊等咖啡，一邊瀏覽報紙的頭條新聞。

skim + the + newspaper headlines — typical object for quick reading

Ritu skimmed through the report to find the budget numbers.

Ritu 快速瀏覽報告，想找出預算數字。

同義詞
  • scan

    Aims to find a specific piece of information rather than the main ideas

  • browse

    More casual, often without a clear purpose; looking through without focus

  • glance through

    Even quicker and less thorough than skim

反義詞
  • study

    To read carefully and in depth, the opposite of reading fast for main points

  • pore over

    To read with great attention and detail

文法句型

skim + noun phrase (document, report, book)

skim + through + noun phrase

skim + over + noun phrase

用法筆記

Can be used transitively ('skim a document') or with 'through' ('skim through a chapter'). Unlike 'scan', which targets specific information, 'skim' focuses on grasping the overall structure and main points.

常見錯誤

❌I skimmed the book by reading every page carefully.
✅I skimmed the book by looking at the headings and first sentences of each section.
💡skimming means reading fast for key points, not careful word-by-word reading.

4. to take away a solid or semi-solid substance such as fat, foam, or cream from th

4.動詞及物B1
釋義

撇去

撇除液體表面的物質

to take away a solid or semi-solid substance such as fat, foam, or cream from the top of a liquid

例句

Mauricio skimmed the foam from the top of the soup before serving it.

Mauricio 在上湯之前，撇去了湯麵上的泡沫。

pattern: skim + substance + from + top of + liquid

Use a large spoon to skim the fat off the surface of the broth.

用大湯匙撇去高湯表面的油脂。

同義詞
  • scoop off

    Uses a different action — a scooping motion rather than a light surface pass

  • remove

    More general term without the specific surface-passing action

文法句型

skim + noun phrase + from/off + noun phrase

skim + noun phrase (the liquid itself)

用法筆記

Frequently followed by 'from' or 'off' to separate the removed substance from the liquid. The removed material is always lighter than the liquid and floating on top.

常見錯誤

❌She skimmed the soup to remove the vegetables from the bottom.
✅She skimmed the foam from the top of the soup.
💡skimming only removes surface material, not items at the bottom.

5. to steal the digital data stored on a payment card by passing it through a hidde

5.動詞及物B2
釋義

側錄

非法側錄信用卡資料

to steal the digital data stored on a payment card by passing it through a hidden reader, typically in order to commit fraud

例句

Thieves skimmed dozens of credit card numbers at the gas station.

竊賊在加油站側錄了數十張信用卡的號碼。

The bank warned customers about a device used to skim card data.

銀行警告顧客，有人使用裝置側錄信用卡資料。

passive: device used to skim + noun phrase

同義詞
  • clone

    Implies copying the data onto a new card, a step that comes after skimming

  • swipe illegally

    Describes the action more generally without the technical precision

文法句型

skim + credit card(s)/card data/card details

用法筆記

A relatively new meaning tied to electronic payment fraud. The hidden devices used are often called 'skimmers'. Common in news reports about data theft and cybersecurity.

6. to secretly remove modest sums of cash, typically from a workplace register or f

6.動詞及物C1
釋義

私自挪用

私自取用小額金錢

to secretly remove modest sums of cash, typically from a workplace register or fund, often doing it bit by bit to avoid notice

例句

The accountant was caught skimming small amounts from the company fund.

那名會計被發現在公司基金中私自挪用小額款項。

passive: was caught + skimming + amount + from + source

Eri discovered that a coworker had been skimming cash from the register.

Eri 發現一名同事一直在從收銀機私自挪用現金。

同義詞
  • embezzle

    More formal and typically implies larger-scale theft from an institution over time

  • pilfer

    Can apply to small items and money, not limited to financial accounts

文法句型

skim + money/cash/funds/profits + from + noun phrase

skim + from + noun phrase

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 5 (SKIM CARDS): sense 5 involves copying digital data, while sense 6 involves taking actual money. The theft is typically done in small increments to avoid detection.

常見錯誤

❌He skimmed a laptop from the office.
✅He skimmed money from the cash register.
💡'skim' in the stealing sense is limited to money or recorded funds, not physical objects.

skim — 名詞

skim — 形容詞