1 B1 neutral
To remove a layer of fat, foam, or other substance from the surface of a liquid.
"Skim off the fat from the top of the broth before serving the soup."
separable
skim off
B2 neutral separable transitive
To remove something from the surface of a liquid, or to dishonestly take a portion of money or resources.
In plain English
To scoop something floating on top, or to secretly steal a little bit of money.
What does "skim off" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To dishonestly divert a portion of money or profits for personal gain.
"The accountant had been skimming off thousands of dollars from the firm's accounts for years."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
To select and take only the best or most desirable part of something.
"Elite universities skim off the top students, leaving fewer high achievers in state schools."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To skim (glide across) something and take it off — as in removing the layer that floats to the top.
Actually means
To scoop something floating on top, or to secretly steal a little bit of money.
Usage tip
Has both a literal culinary sense and a figurative financial/political sense. The dishonest sense is common in journalism and political discourse. In cooking, it is entirely neutral.
Words that pair with "skim off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
fat cream profits funds money top
How to conjugate "skim off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
skim off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
skims off
he/she/it
Past simple
skimed off
yesterday
Past participle
skimed off
have + pp
-ing form
skiming off
continuous
Hear "skim off" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "skim off" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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