skate

1
[ skeyt ]
See synonyms for: skateskating on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. the blade of an ice skate.

  2. 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.

  1. Slang. to shirk one's duty; loaf.

  2. (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.

Idioms about skate

  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.

Origin of skate

1
First recorded in 1640–50; originally plural scates, from Dutch schaats (singular) “skate,” Middle Dutch schaetse “stilt” (compare Medieval Latin scatia ), of unknown origin

Other words from skate

  • skate·a·ble, adjective

Words Nearby skate

Other definitions for skate (2 of 3)

skate2
[ 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.

Origin of skate

2
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English scate, from Old Norse skata

Other definitions for skate (3 of 3)

skate3
[ skeyt ]

nounSlang.
  1. a person; fellow: He's a good skate.

  2. a contemptible person.

  1. an inferior, decrepit horse; nag.

Origin of skate

3
First recorded in 1890–95; perhaps special use of skate2

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use skate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for skate (1 of 3)

skate1

/ (skeɪt) /


noun
  1. the steel blade or runner of an ice skate

  1. such a blade fitted with straps for fastening to a shoe

  2. a current collector on an electric railway train that collects its current from a third rail: Compare bow collector

  3. get one's skates on to hurry

verb(intr)
  1. to glide swiftly on skates

  2. to slide smoothly over a surface

  1. skate on thin ice to place oneself in a dangerous or delicate situation

Origin of skate

1
C17: via Dutch from Old French éschasse stilt, probably of Germanic origin

British Dictionary definitions for skate (2 of 3)

skate2

/ (skeɪt) /


nounplural skate or skates
  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

Origin of skate

2
C14: from Old Norse skata

British Dictionary definitions for skate (3 of 3)

skate3

/ (skeɪt) /


noun
  1. US slang a person; fellow

Origin of skate

3
from Scottish and northern English dialect skate, a derogatory term of uncertain origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with skate

skate

In addition to the idiom beginning with skate

  • skate over

also see:

  • cheap skate
  • on thin ice, skate

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.