skive off
B2 informal inseparable intransitive
In simple words
To stay away from school or work when you should be there, just because you don't feel like going.
Meanings
1 B1
idiomatic
informal
To stay away from school or work without a legitimate excuse; to play truant.
"He skived off school on Friday afternoon to go to the football match."
Grammar: inseparable
2 B2
idiomatic
informal
To avoid doing a specific task or duty at work by making excuses or disappearing.
"Every time there was cleaning to be done, she would skive off to make tea."
Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes
Primarily British English. Very common in informal speech among British teenagers and adults. Can also be used transitively: 'skive off a lesson'. The noun 'skiver' refers to a person who regularly skives.
Commonly used with
school work lesson class afternoon training
Forms
Base
skive off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
skives off
he/she/it
Past simple
skived off
yesterday
Past participle
skived off
have + pp
-ing form
skiving off
continuous
Understand "skive off" better
Try:
Real video examples
Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.
Want to master this phrasal verb?
Practice "skive off" on Looplines