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skim

 
Dictionary: skim   (skĭm) pronunciation
 

v., skimmed, skim·ming, skims.

v.tr.
    1. To remove floating matter from (a liquid).
    2. To remove (floating matter) from a liquid.
    3. To take away the choicest or most readily attainable contents or parts from.
  1. To coat or cover with or as if with a thin layer, as of scum.
    1. To throw so as to bounce or slide: skimming stones on the pond.
    2. To glide or pass quickly and lightly over or along (a surface). See synonyms at brush1.
  2. To read or glance through (a book, for example) quickly or superficially.
  3. Slang. To fail to declare part of (certain income, such as winnings) to avoid tax payment.
v.intr.
  1. To move or pass swiftly and lightly over or near a surface; glide.
  2. To give a quick and superficial reading, scrutiny, or consideration; glance: skimmed through the newspaper.
  3. To become coated with a thin layer.
  4. Slang. To fail to declare certain income to avoid tax payment.
n.
  1. The act of skimming.
  2. Something that has been skimmed.
  3. A thin layer or film.
  4. Slang. The profit gained by skimming.

[Middle English skimmen, perhaps from Old French escumer, to remove scum, from escume, scum, of Germanic origin.]


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An electronic method of capturing a victim's personal information used by identity thieves. The skimmer is a small device that scans a credit card and stores the information contained in the magnetic strip. Skimming can take place during a legitimate transaction at a business.

Investopedia Says:
Skimming can occur easily in a restaurant because your card is taken away when the bill is being settled. If your server is a skimming identity thief, he or she will, before giving the card back to you, scan the credit card with a hand-held electronic device, which takes only seconds. The electronically captured information is then used to by the thief or sold to other criminals.

Related Links:
Don't be a victim of this disturbing crime. Get insight into how perpetrators do it. Identity Theft: How To Avoid It
Do you know how your borrowing activities affect your credit rating? Find out here. The Importance of Your Credit Rating


 
Marketing Dictionary: skimming
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Pricing strategy usually used in the early stages of the product life cycle that targets a small number of consumers who are willing to pay a relatively high price for the product. Over time, the price may be reduced to take advantage of production economies of scale achieved by selling higher volumes. A skimming strategy can attract competitors to the market if the product or technology can be easily duplicated. Luxury perfumes use a skimming strategy that takes advantage of the high perceived value, enabling them to sell perfume at hundreds of dollars per ounce. The term is derived from the concept of "skimming the cream" off a bottle of milk. In this case, the marketer is skimming the cream, or the best consumers, off the market. See also milking strategy.

 
Business Dictionary: Skimming
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1. Illegal practice of failing to account for some sales, frequently with the intent of tax evasion or cheating a partner.

2. Marketing strategy where a high initial price is charged for a newly introduced product in order to expedite the development cost recovery. At a later point the price is reduced to offset competitive products and slowing demand.

 

To remove fat from the surface of stock, gravy, stews, etc., or scum from jams, etc., while they are cooking.

 

To remove the top layer from a liquid, such as cream from milk or foam and fat from stock, soups, sauces, etc.

 
Thesaurus: skim
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verb

  1. To strike a surface at such an angle as to be deflected: carom, dap, glance, graze, ricochet, skip. See strike/miss.
  2. To make light and momentary contact with, as in passing: brush1, flick, graze, kiss, shave. See touch/not touch.
  3. To pass quickly and lightly through the air: dart, float, fly, sail, shoot. See move/halt.
  4. To look through reading matter casually: browse, dip into, flip through, glance at (or over) (or through), leaf (through), riffle (through), run through, scan, thumb (through). See investigate, words.

noun

    Light and momentary contact with another person or thing: brush1, flick, graze. See touch/not touch.

 
Antonyms: skim
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v

Definition: look through cursorily
Antonyms: pore over, pour


 
Word Tutor: skim
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pronunciation

IN BRIEF: To remove floating matter from the top of a liquid. Also: To look through quickly without reading carefully.

pronunciation Skim the leaves off the top of the water in the swimming pool everyday to keep it clean.

 
Translations: Skim
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Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - skumme, stryge, beskæftige sig overfladisk med
v. intr. - lade dække med skum, lægge sig i et tyndt lag
n. - skumming, skummet-, skum

idioms:

  • skim milk    skummetmælk
  • skim off    skumme
  • skim off the cream    skumme fløden af
  • skimmed milk    skummetmælk

Nederlands (Dutch)
afromen, vluchtig inkijken, scheren over, laagje, mager

Français (French)
v. tr. - écrémer, écumer, raser, frôler, parcourir, ricocher, (US) ne pas déclarer (une partie de ses revenus)
v. intr. - raser, parcourir
n. - écrémage, lait écrémé, film/fine couche

idioms:

  • skim milk    lait écrémé
  • skim off    retirer, enlever, dégraisser
  • skim off the cream    écrémer
  • skimmed milk    lait écrémé

Deutsch (German)
v. - überfliegen, streifen, abschöpfen, entrahmen
n. - Abgeschöpftes, dünne Schicht

idioms:

  • skim milk    entrahmene Milch
  • skim off    abschöpfen
  • skim off the cream    das Beste wegschnappen
  • skimmed milk    entrahmte Milch

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - εξαφρίζω (γάλα κ.λπ.), καλύπτω/-ομαι με λεπτό στρώμα, διατρέχω (κείμενο κ.λπ.), περνώ ξυστά, εποστρακίζομαι, κάνω ψαράκια, (οικοδ.) περνώ το τελευταίο χέρι του σοβά, (ΗΠΑ, καθομ.) φοροδιαφεύγω
n. - αεροδυναμική πτήση (κν. βολ-πλανέ), (καθομ.) απόκρυψη χρημάτων για λόγους φοροδιαφυγής

idioms:

  • skim milk    αποβουτυρωμένο γάλα
  • skim off    εξαφρίζω, παίρνω το καλύτερο
  • skim off the cream    παίρνω το καλύτερο
  • skimmed milk    αποβουτυρωμένο γάλα

Italiano (Italian)
rasentare, scremare

idioms:

  • skim off    scremare
  • skim off the cream    appropriarsi del meglio
  • skim(med) milk    latte scremato

Português (Portuguese)
v. - desnatar, aflorar
n. - leite (m) desnatado, nata (f), escuma (f), deslizamento (m)

idioms:

  • skim (med) milk    leite (m) desnatado
  • skim off    desnatar
  • skim off the cream    tirar a melhor parte
  • skim(med) milk    leite desnatado

Русский (Russian)
снимать (пену), сгребать шлак, покрывать тонкой пленкой, легкое скольжение, легко и плавно скользить, нестись, едва касаясь поверхности, запускать, утаивать доход

idioms:

  • skim off    снимать пенку, "снимать пенки"
  • skim off the cream    снимать сливки, брать лучшее
  • skim(med) milk    снятое молоко

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - rasar, descremar, desnatar, espumar, entresacar, examinar superficialmente, echar una ojeada a, hojear, rozar
v. intr. - cubrirse de espuma o nata
n. - acción de espumar o desnatar, espuma, nata

idioms:

  • skim milk    leche descremada
  • skim off    tomar la mejor parte
  • skim off the cream    descremar
  • skimmed milk    leche descremada o desnatada, igual que: skim milk

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - skumma, skumma av, skumma grädden, stryka över, singla, lägga sig i ett tunt lager över, täcka med ett tunt lager

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
撇去...表面的浮物, 从...中取得精华, 撇去, 去除, 提取, 擦过, 浏览, 撇, 表面层, 撇去的东西, 掠过

idioms:

  • skim milk    脱脂乳
  • skim off    撇去
  • skim off the cream    撇油
  • skimmed milk    乳液

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 撇去...表面的浮物, 從...中取得精華, 撇去, 去除, 提取
v. intr. - 擦過, 瀏覽
n. - 撇, 表面層, 撇去的東西, 掠過

idioms:

  • skim milk    脫脂乳
  • skim off    撇去
  • skim off the cream    撇油
  • skimmed milk    乳液

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 위에 뜬 찌끼를 걷어내다, (수면 등을) 스치듯 지나가다, (수입을) 속이다
v. intr. - 피막이 생기다, 표면을 스쳐 지나가다, 대충 읽다
n. - (걷어낸) 찌꺼기, 스침, 살얼음

idioms:

  • skim off    (최상의 부분을) 취하다, 선발하다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 浮遊物をすくい取る, すくい取る, かすめて飛ぶ, ざっと読む, 飛ばす
n. - 所得隠し

idioms:

  • skim off    取る
  • skim off the cream    粒よりの者を選り抜く
  • skim(med) milk    脱脂乳

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يقشد, يستخلص زبدة ألشيء, يمر بخفه أو سرعه, ألحليب ألمقشود‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮קיפה, הסיר שכבה צפה, הסיר בכף, הסיר במקפה, הרחיף, זרק, הסתיר הכנסה כדי להתחמק ממס‬
v. intr. - ‮ריחף‬
n. - ‮הסרת שכבה צפה, קרום על פני נוזל‬


 
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Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
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