skive

[skahyv]

verb (used with object)

skived, skiving 

1. to split or cut, as leather, into layers or slices.

2. to shave, as hides.

3. to finish the turning of (a metal object) by feeding a tool against it tangentially.

skive

¹

/ skaɪv /

verb

1. (tr) to shave or remove the surface of (leather)

skive

²

/ skaɪv /

verb

1. informal,  to evade (work or responsibility)

Word History and Origins

Origin of skive¹

1815–25; perhaps < Old Norse skīfa slice

Word History and Origins

Origin of skive¹

C19: from Old Norse skifa; related to English dialect shive a slice of bread

Origin of skive²

C20: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

"I am autistic, so the toilets were a space where I could regulate," she explained, adding if she took too long someone would "bang on the door" or think she was "skiving off".

From BBC

"It felt like you were skiving off work, you kept waiting for the phone to ring, constantly felt guilty," she told the BBC.

From BBC

Wind: “If you were trying to skive off work, I’m not sure how you’d convincingly sell gale force winds in your own office.”

From The Verge

A bookshelf backdrop is a visual reassurance – to your constituents, or your boss, or your tutor – that although you are at home you are working hard, not skiving.

From The Guardian

A wonderfully comforting movie that celebrates the world of idling, skiving, goofing off, and what the French flaneurs called “botanising on the asphalt”.

From The Guardian

Related Words

• cut back 
• cut down 
• decrease 
• lower 
• mark down 
• prune 
• reduce 
• scrape 
• shave 
• slash