skate

¹ American  

[skeyt] / skeɪt /

noun

1. ice skate.

2. roller skate.

3. the blade of an ice skate.

4. a skid on a lifeboat to facilitate launching from a listing ship.

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verb (used without object)

skated, skating

1. to glide or propel oneself over ice, the ground, etc., on skates.

2. to glide or slide smoothly along.

3. Slang. to shirk one's duty; loaf.

4. (of the tone arm on a record player) to swing toward the spindle while a record is playing.

verb (used with object)

skated, skating

1. to slide (a flat) across the floor of a stage.

idioms

1. get / put one's skates on, to make haste.

2. skate on thin ice, to be or place oneself in a risky or delicate situation.

   Taking a public stand on the question would be skating on thin ice.

skate ² American  

[skeyt] / skeɪt /

noun

plural

skate,

plural

skates

1. any of numerous rays of the family Rajidae having paired electric organs within a long, fleshy tail and producing a distinctive egg case (amermaid's purse ): a widespread group of more than 570 species, the largest being Beringraja binoculata big skate of Pacific coastal waters from Alaska to Baja California, known to exceed 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) in length.

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skate ³ American  

[skeyt] / skeɪt /

noun

Slang.

1. a person; fellow.

   He's a good skate.

2. a contemptible person.

3. an inferior, decrepit horse; nag.

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skate ¹ British  

/ skeɪt /

noun

1. See roller skate ice skate

2. the steel blade or runner of an ice skate

3. such a blade fitted with straps for fastening to a shoe

4. a current collector on an electric railway train that collects its current from a third rail Compare bow collector

5. to hurry

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verb

1. to glide swiftly on skates

2. to slide smoothly over a surface

3. to place oneself in a dangerous or delicate situation

skate ² British  

/ skeɪt /

noun

1. any large ray of the family Rajidae, of temperate and tropical seas, having flat pectoral fins continuous with the head, two dorsal fins, a short spineless tail, and a long snout

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skate ³ British  

/ skeɪt /

noun

1. slang a person; fellow

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skate More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing skate

• cheap skate
• on thin ice, skate

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Other Word Forms

• skateable adjective

Etymology

Origin of skate¹

First recorded in 1640–50; originally plural scates, from Dutch schaats (singular) “skate,” Middle Dutch schaetse “stilt” (compare Medieval Latin scatia ), of unknown origin

Origin of skate²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English scate, from Old Norse skata

Origin of skate³

First recorded in 1890–95; perhaps special use of skate ²

Example Sentences

In New York City or Chicago or San Diego, there is nothing remarkable about seeing young men wearing Carhartt work jackets, Stüssy skate shorts or a T-shirt from Supreme with its coveted, Barbara Kruger-esque logo.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Earlier, US star Ilia Malinin won a third straight men's gold as he bounced back from missing out on an Olympic medal last month when he fell twice in the free skate.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Malinin shouted and punched the air with relief after finishing a skate that showed he had achieved his desire to “move on” from the Olympics after days tormented by his mistakes.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

She’d choose her choreography and costumes, have control over her meals, skate when she wanted.

From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026

The boys lined up, became a wall on the sidewalk, and Pia thought about hopping the curb to go around them but knew better than to skate into oncoming traffic.

From "Look Both Ways" by Jason Reynolds

Related Words

• glide