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

She entered the drug trade as a side hustle while completing her studies and now blogs about her lifestyle on her Telegram channel, Courier in a Skirt, where she chats with fans and answers their questions.

From Salon

While the diagonal-striped jacket and skirt are custom-built, the contrasting red polka-dot blouse and shoes are vintage.

From Los Angeles Times

Most notably, she performed Ailey’s 1971 solo “Cry,” where she famously folded, extended and suspended herself in a white long-sleeved leotard and a matching long ruffled skirt.

From Los Angeles Times

“For all those individuals commenting on cancer and cancer meds just bloating you this was me one year after my 1st diagnosis,” she captioned a 2008 photo of herself looking slender in a white skirt and black sleeveless top.

From Los Angeles Times

This is the skirt that took fashion by storm two years ago, and by now it’s more than official: A Chopova Lowena carabiner skirt never goes out of style.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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