skim

raser, effleurer

Se déplacer rapidement et légèrement sur une surface ou juste au-dessus.

En anglais simple : To move quickly and lightly across or just above a surface.

• Birds skimmed the water.
• The boat skims across the waves.
• We watched swallows skimming just above the grass.

Comment l'utiliser : skim over/across something (The birds skimmed across the lake.)

Synonymes : glide, slide

Expressions courantes : skim the surface, skim over something, skim across something

écumer, écrémer

Enlever la graisse, la mousse ou d’autres matières à la surface d’un liquide.

En anglais simple : To remove fat, foam, or other material from the top of a liquid.

• Skim the soup before serving.
• She skimmed the fat off the broth.
• Use a spoon to skim away any foam.

Comment l'utiliser : skim something off something (Skim the fat off the soup.); skim something from something (She skimmed the foam from the stock.)

Synonymes : remove, scoop off

Expressions courantes : skim off fat, skim the soup, skim off foam

faire ricocher

Lancer un objet plat pour qu’il rebondisse plusieurs fois à la surface de l’eau.

En anglais simple : To throw a flat object so that it bounces several times across water.

• We skimmed stones on the lake.
• Can you skim this flat pebble across the water?
• She spent the afternoon skimming stones from the riverbank.

Comment l'utiliser : skim something across something (He skimmed a stone across the pond.)

Synonymes : skip

Expressions courantes : skim stones, skim a pebble, skim across water

ricocher

Heurter une surface et rebondir en repartant de biais.

En anglais simple : To hit a surface and bounce away from it at an angle.

• The ball skimmed off the wall.
• A stone skimmed off the pavement and struck the fence.
• The shot skimmed off a metal beam.

Comment l'utiliser : skim off something (The bullet skimmed off the rock.)

Synonymes : ricochet, glance, bounce off

Expressions courantes : skim off something, skim off the wall