sky

[ skahy ]

noun

, plural skies.

1. the region of the clouds or the upper air; the upper atmosphere of the earth:

   airplanes in the sky; cloudy skies.

2. the heavens or firmament, appearing as a great arch or vault.
3. the supernal or celestial heaven:

   They looked to the sky for help.

4. the climate:

   the sunny skies of Italy.

5. Obsolete. a cloud.

verb (used with object)

, skied or skyed, sky·ing.

1. Informal. to raise, throw, or hit aloft or into the air.
2. Informal. to hang (a painting) high on a wall, above the line of vision.

verb phrase

1. Falconry. (of prey, when flushed) to fly straight upward.

sky

/ skaɪ /

noun

1. sometimes plural the apparently dome-shaped expanse extending upwards from the horizon that is characteristically blue or grey during the day, red in the evening, and black at night celestialempyrean
2. outer space, as seen from the earth
3. often plural weather, as described by the appearance of the upper air

   sunny skies

4. the source of divine power; heaven
5. informal.
   the highest level of attainment

   the sky's the limit

6. to the skies
   highly; extravagantly

verb

1. rowing to lift (the blade of an oar) too high before a stroke
2. informal.
   tr to hit (a ball) high in the air

sky

/ skī /

1. The atmosphere, as seen from a given point on the Earth's surface. The sky appears to be blue because the wavelengths associated with blue light are scattered more easily than those that are associated with the other colors.

Derived Forms

• ˈskyˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• skyless adjective
• skylike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sky¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Old Norse skȳ “cloud,” cognate with Old English scēo “cloud”

Word History and Origins

Origin of sky¹

C13: from Old Norse skӯ; related to Old English scio cloud, Old Saxon skio, Old Norse skjār transparent skin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. out of a / the clear sky, without advance notice or warning; abruptly: Also out of athe clear blue sky.

   An old beau phoned her out of a clear sky.

2. to the skies, with lavishness or enthusiasm; extravagantly: Also to the sky.

   to praise someone to the skies.

More idioms and phrases containing sky

In addition to the idiom beginning with sky , also see blow sky-high ; out of a clear blue sky ; pie in the sky reach for the sky .

Example Sentences

Most of it is blurry or of poor quality, but it clearly shows six flashes against the night sky, each comprised of a cluster of six individual projectiles.

From BBC

The sun was low in the sky when I reached the summit of Mt.

From Los Angeles Times

What does Celmins’ beautiful 1992 painting of stars glinting in a dusky night sky, or Day’s 2018 gold-leaf cables and monofilament stretched on a diagonal between ceiling and floor, have to do with elucidating the art of the long Middle Ages, which “Lumen” achieves?

From Los Angeles Times

The scientists are now talking with colleagues who build gamma-ray telescopes to judge the feasibility of launching one or a fleet of such telescopes to cover 100% of the sky 24/7 and be assured of catching any gamma-ray burst.

From Science Daily

As the interview draws to a close, the Sun now high in the sky, the researcher asks her the inevitable question: What’s the secret of living a long life?

From Science Magazine