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

Like winged creatures of the sky it draws its nickname from, the bird of paradise seems always ready for takeoff, angling itself toward the light of better tomorrows, or at least the possibility of them.

From Los Angeles Times

Through the window of an upper floor office in West Hollywood, the sky changed from cyan to navy and then indigo blue.

From Los Angeles Times

Together or separately, they co-wrote “Wide Open Heart,” “I’ll Pay the Price,” “California Sky,” “I Spell Love” and “Hand Me Down Heart” with Yoakam.

From Los Angeles Times

Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said the “sky’s the limit” for Hart.

From Los Angeles Times

“Our eyes are looking more to the sky than to the plants. There’s fear here.”

From BBC