skip
1 Americanverb (used without object)
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to move in a light, springy manner by bounding forward with alternate hops on each foot.
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to pass from one point, thing, subject, etc., to another, disregarding or omitting what intervenes.
He skipped through the book quickly.
- Synonyms:
- skim
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to go away hastily and secretly; flee without notice.
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Education. to be advanced two or more classes or grades at once.
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to ricochet or bounce along a surface.
The stone skipped over the lake.
verb (used with object)
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to jump lightly over.
The horse skipped the fence.
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to pass over without reading, noting, acting, etc..
He skipped the bad parts.
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to miss or omit (one of a repeated series of rhythmic actions).
My heart skipped a beat.
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to be absent from; avoid attendance at.
to skip a school class.
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to send (a missile) ricocheting along a surface.
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Informal. to leave hastily and secretly or to flee from (a place).
They skipped town.
noun
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a skipping movement; a light jump or bounce.
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a gait marked by such jumps.
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a passing from one point or thing to another, with disregard of what intervenes.
a quick skip through Europe.
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Music. a melodic interval greater than a second.
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a natural depression below the surface of a planed board.
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Informal. a person who has absconded in order to avoid paying debts or meeting other financial responsibilities.
verb phrase
verb
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to spring or move lightly, esp to move by hopping from one foot to the other
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(intr) to jump over a skipping-rope
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to cause (a stone, etc) to bounce or skim over a surface or (of a stone) to move in this way
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to omit (intervening matter), as in passing from one part or subject to another
he skipped a chapter of the book
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informal to read or deal with quickly or superficially
he skipped through the accounts before dinner
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informal (tr) to miss deliberately
to skip school
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informal (tr) to leave (a place) in haste or secrecy
to skip town
noun
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a skipping movement or gait
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the act of passing over or omitting
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music another word for leap
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informal it doesn't matter!
noun
noun
noun
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a large open container for transporting building materials, etc
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a cage used as a lift in mines, etc
noun
Synonym Usage
Skip, bound refer to an elastic, springing movement. To skip is to give a series of light, quick hops alternating the feet: to skip about. Bound suggests a series of long, rather vigorous leaps; it is also applied to a springing or leaping type of walking or running rapidly and actively: A dog came bounding up to meet him.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of skip1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English verb skippen, perhaps from Old Norse skopa “to take a run” (compare Icelandic skoppa “to spin like a top, hop,” Swedish dialect skopa “to skip”); the noun is derivative of the verb
Origin of skip2
First recorded in 1820–30; short for skipper 1
Origin of skip3
First recorded in 1805–15; alteration of skep
Explanation
When you skip, you do a little hop from foot to foot as you move along. It's pretty common to see little kids skip down the sidewalk or across the playground. While a happy, running hop is one kind of skip, you can also use this verb to mean "pass up" or "pass over." You might arrive late to the movies and skip the trailers at the beginning, or skip the bread basket at a restaurant so you have room for dessert later. The earliest meaning of skip, from the 1300's, is "to spring lightly," from the Old Norse root word skopa.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Markets now think the Fed will skip a move at its October meeting and then hike in December.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
Another, who estimated she had given £40,000 to NOS over seven years, recalled the "manipulative" Brain persuading her to skip her brother's wedding in South Africa and buy van for the community instead.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
This isn’t about optimizing every meal, spending three hours prepping identical containers or constructing the sort of Sunday routine that makes you feel behind when you inevitably skip it.
From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2026
Silver Lake already controlled the votes in Endeavor before the deal, allowing it to skip a shareholder vote and stick by the price it said was a 57% premium.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
Just for a moment, but long enough to make my heart skip a beat.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
One skipped along the balance beam like Simone Biles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
In August, officials also skipped a "cool mix" release designed to help protect native species.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026
The 81-year-old had appeared by video link when he was first brought to the court in The Hague, but had since skipped hearings, with his defence team saying he was too ill.
From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026
The driver “lost control of the vehicle” and skipped over a curb before striking a tree, police said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
We move a little farther up the right side of the U, toward the Great Vault, but take a turn through a skinny doorway we skipped on our tour.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
At the same time that layoffs are skipping along at historic lows, most businesses are also unwilling to bring on lots of new workers.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
The 10k follows a more urban course, skipping the park section but taking in four bridges and a long riverside stretch instead.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
There, the discussion shifted from seven-part heroes’ journeys centered on skipping little luxuries like Starbucks to drink-based dominance theory.
From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026
Patients will order these cheaper, unproven products via an 800-number or the internet, skipping appointments with real doctors who can provide accurate diagnoses and proven treatments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
She is fairly skipping with excitement at seeing him.
From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
