skirt

[ skurt ]

noun

1. the part of a gown, dress, slip, or coat that extends downward from the waist.
2. a one-piece garment extending downward from the waist and not joined between the legs, worn especially by women and girls.
3. some part resembling or suggesting the skirt of a garment, as the flared lip of a bell or a protective and ornamental cloth strip covering the legs of furniture.
4. a small leather flap on each side of a saddle, covering the metal bar from which the stirrup hangs.
5. Building Trades.
   1. baseboard ( def 1 ).
   2. apron ( def 13 ).
6. Also called apron. Furniture.
   1. a flat horizontal brace set immediately beneath the seat of a chair, chest of drawers, or the like, to strengthen the legs.
   2. Also called bed, frieze.. a flat brace or support immediately beneath a tabletop.
7. Usually skirts. the bordering, marginal, or outlying part of a place, group, etc.; the outskirts.
8. Older Slang: Usually Disparaging and Offensive. a term used to refer to a woman or girl:

   to chase some skirt;

   a skirt chaser.

9. Rocketry. an outer part of a rocket or missile that provides structural support or houses such systems as avionics or gyroscopes.

verb (used with object)

1. to lie on or along the border of:

   The hills skirt the town.

2. to border, wrap, or cover with a skirt or something suggesting a skirt in appearance or function.
3. to pass along or around the border or edge of:

   Traffic skirts the town.

4. to avoid, go around the edge of, or keep distant from (something that is controversial, risky, etc.):

   The senator skirted the issue.

   Synonyms: bypass, circle, shun, evade

5. to remove low-grade wool and foreign matter from (the outer edge of fleece).

verb (used without object)

1. to be or lie on or along the edge of something.
2. to move along or around the border of something.

skirt

/ skɜːt /

noun

1. a garment hanging from the waist, worn chiefly by women and girls
2. the part of a dress below the waist
3. Also calledapron a frieze or circular flap, as round the base of a hovercraft
4. the flaps on a saddle that protect a rider's legs
5. a cut of beef from the flank
6. often plural a margin or outlying area
7. the lower part of a sheep's fleece
8. bit of skirt slang.
   a girl or woman

verb

1. tr to form the edge of
2. tr to provide with a border
3. whenintr, foll by around, along, etc to pass (by) or be situated (near) the outer edge of (an area, etc)
4. tr to avoid (a difficulty, etc)

   he skirted the issue

5. to remove the trimmings or inferior wool from (a fleece)

Derived Forms

• ˈskirted, adjective

Other Words From

• skirtless adjective
• skirtlike adjective
• un·skirted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of skirt¹

1250–1300; Middle English skirte < Old Norse skyrta shirt

Word History and Origins

Origin of skirt¹

C13: from Old Norse skyrta shirt

Example Sentences

This is also why insulated skirts are so great—and the longer, the warmer.

From Outside Online

A full array of features—the helmet-compatible hood, a powder skirt, chest and hand pockets, two-way zippers, pit zips—kept us comfortable during long days riding lap after windy lap.

From Outside Online

Eloquii Elements is available in sizes 14 through 28 and has debuted a ready to wear collection of fall essentials including sweaters, jumpsuits, dresses, skirts and more.

From Essence.com

Companies such as Heim-Made have further expanded the market with down skirts for cold climates.

From Outside Online

In the process, their motions twist the gas around them like swirling skirts.

From Science News For Students

Assad-affiliated Christian militias skirt around the territory of rival groups aligned with the YPG.

From The Daily Beast

Traitz then claimed Cosby convinced her to get back in the car, took her to a shop to buy a new skirt, and that was that.

From The Daily Beast

The coat, with fitted bodice, nipped-in waist, and full skirt, created a familiar silhouette for Kate.

From The Daily Beast

Her old sister, Marianne, had showed up to her polling place wearing a black skirt, black top, and black heels.

From The Daily Beast

On stage, Amber spoofed Sarah Palin in a topknot and librarian glasses, yanking a toy gun and stuffed moose from her skirt.

From The Daily Beast

These form one of the many island groups that hang like a fringe or festoon on the skirt of the continent of Asia.

From Project Gutenberg

She was dressed in her brightest skirt and fairly shone with the abundance of cheap jewelry she wore.

From Project Gutenberg

He thrust one hand into his gold-coloured skirt, and produced a glass bottle full of some very cheap perfume from Europe.

From Project Gutenberg

She wore a dust-colored habit with divided skirt, and a soft felt hat and gloves of the same shade.

From Project Gutenberg

She seized her skirt drying before the fire and wrapped it around her bare shoulders as she ran through the outer door.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bypass
• circumvent
• dodge
• elude
• evade
• ignore
• sidestep