skate

¹

[ skeyt ]

noun

1. ice skate ( def 1 ).
2. roller skate.
3. the blade of an ice skate.
4. a skid on a lifeboat to facilitate launching from a listing ship.

verb (used without object)

, skat·ed, skat·ing.

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)

, skat·ed, skat·ing.

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

skate

²

[ skeyt ]

noun

, plural (especially collectively) skate, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) 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 (a mermaid'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.

skate

³

[ skeyt ]

noun

, Slang.

1. a person; fellow:

   He's a good skate.

2. a contemptible person.
3. an inferior, decrepit horse; nag.

skate

¹

/ 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. get one's skates on
   to hurry

verb

1. to glide swiftly on skates
2. to slide smoothly over a surface
3. skate on thin ice
   to place oneself in a dangerous or delicate situation

skate

²

/ skeɪt /

noun

1. slang.
   a person; fellow

skate

³

/ 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

Other Words From

• skatea·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of skate¹

C17: via Dutch from Old French éschasse stilt, probably of Germanic origin

Origin of skate²

from Scottish and northern English dialect skate, a derogatory term of uncertain origin

Origin of skate³

C14: from Old Norse skata

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. get / put one's skates on, British Informal. 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.

More idioms and phrases containing skate

In addition to the idiom beginning with skate , also see cheap skate ; on thin ice, skate .

Example Sentences

We were just doing what we were hired to do: Tell stories not about ice skates or about baseball bats but about human beings.”

From Los Angeles Times

Meanwhile, in Peterhead at about 21:20, a man was hit by a van driven by individuals who, moments before, had set off a pyrotechnic in a skate park in Aalesund Road.

From BBC

Meanwhile, in Peterhead at about 21:20, a man was hit by a van driven by a group who, moments before, had set off a pyrotechnic in a skate park in Aalesund Road.

From BBC

Mabuse left Strictly in 2022 and became a judge on the celebrity figure skating competition Dancing On Ice in the same year.

From BBC

Representatives of both firms kept their public remarks vague Tuesday, skating over specific instances of corruption they may have come across and focusing instead on recommendations to strengthen county contracting.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• glide