skip
1 Americanverb (used without object)
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to move in a light, springy manner by bounding forward with alternate hops on each foot.
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to pass from one point, thing, subject, etc., to another, disregarding or omitting what intervenes.
He skipped through the book quickly.
- Synonyms:
- skim
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to go away hastily and secretly; flee without notice.
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Education. to be advanced two or more classes or grades at once.
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to ricochet or bounce along a surface.
The stone skipped over the lake.
verb (used with object)
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to jump lightly over.
The horse skipped the fence.
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to pass over without reading, noting, acting, etc..
He skipped the bad parts.
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to miss or omit (one of a repeated series of rhythmic actions).
My heart skipped a beat.
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to be absent from; avoid attendance at.
to skip a school class.
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to send (a missile) ricocheting along a surface.
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Informal. to leave hastily and secretly or to flee from (a place).
They skipped town.
noun
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a skipping movement; a light jump or bounce.
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a gait marked by such jumps.
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a passing from one point or thing to another, with disregard of what intervenes.
a quick skip through Europe.
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Music. a melodic interval greater than a second.
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a natural depression below the surface of a planed board.
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Informal. a person who has absconded in order to avoid paying debts or meeting other financial responsibilities.
verb phrase
verb
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to spring or move lightly, esp to move by hopping from one foot to the other
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(intr) to jump over a skipping-rope
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to cause (a stone, etc) to bounce or skim over a surface or (of a stone) to move in this way
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to omit (intervening matter), as in passing from one part or subject to another
he skipped a chapter of the book
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informal to read or deal with quickly or superficially
he skipped through the accounts before dinner
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informal (tr) to miss deliberately
to skip school
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informal (tr) to leave (a place) in haste or secrecy
to skip town
noun
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a skipping movement or gait
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the act of passing over or omitting
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music another word for leap
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informal it doesn't matter!
noun
noun
noun
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a large open container for transporting building materials, etc
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a cage used as a lift in mines, etc
noun
Synonym Usage
Skip, bound refer to an elastic, springing movement. To skip is to give a series of light, quick hops alternating the feet: to skip about. Bound suggests a series of long, rather vigorous leaps; it is also applied to a springing or leaping type of walking or running rapidly and actively: A dog came bounding up to meet him.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of skip1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English verb skippen, perhaps from Old Norse skopa “to take a run” (compare Icelandic skoppa “to spin like a top, hop,” Swedish dialect skopa “to skip”); the noun is derivative of the verb
Origin of skip2
First recorded in 1820–30; short for skipper 1
Origin of skip3
First recorded in 1805–15; alteration of skep
Explanation
When you skip, you do a little hop from foot to foot as you move along. It's pretty common to see little kids skip down the sidewalk or across the playground. While a happy, running hop is one kind of skip, you can also use this verb to mean "pass up" or "pass over." You might arrive late to the movies and skip the trailers at the beginning, or skip the bread basket at a restaurant so you have room for dessert later. The earliest meaning of skip, from the 1300's, is "to spring lightly," from the Old Norse root word skopa.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
While some journalists twisted their movie and television coverage around major plot events, others tackled them head-on, writing “ending explained” and “twist revealed” articles for readers who wanted to skip to the point.
From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026
Many California students who plan to apply to UC skip the tests, and many of them also apply to USC, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Markets now think the Fed will skip a move at its October meeting and then hike in December.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
Brits who want to see the 11th-century relic say they’re being treated like Taylor Swift fans on Ticketmaster while American tech billionaires, luxury hotel guests and museum sponsors get to skip the line.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
“Well, didn’t you skip ahead a grade this year? That’s a lot for a student to adjust to. And no school year is ever perfect. No person is ever perfect.”
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
Petar Doitchinov, a 67-year-old retired engineer, said he had skipped the first round because he expected a runoff,.
From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026
“I don’t care who wins in the 40th,” said Orange County Democratic Party Chair Florice Hoffman, who skipped voting in the race.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
Mine is that I put in the hours, skipped trips I wanted to take and turned down a chance to go part time at 58 because I wanted us secure.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
Patel, who skipped the UK in 2011 never to return, was eventually convicted in his absence and in 2023 was handed a 20-year prison sentence.
From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026
Gnomes skipped and pranced among the crowds, squealing the day’s wonderful news.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
This is reflected in his campaign’s perhaps oversimplified yard signs, the majority of which carry only two words “Sununu, Senator,” prompting plenty of residents to wonder if he’s deliberately skipping listing his first name.
From Slate ● Oct. 29, 2026
But former Indian ambassador to the US, Meera Shankar, cautions against reading too much into him skipping the capital.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
Except when the moment arrived, she inexplicably dodged it, skipping the song’s first chorus and soft-pedaling the second — an anticlimax for the ages.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
Part D is a government requirement for anyone over 65 who doesn’t have what is called “creditable” drug insurance at work, and skipping it can inflict a penalty for life.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
I know I’m going to be in trouble for skipping first period, but anything is better than facing what’s beyond the bathroom door.
From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish
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