skate
skayt
Skate (verb) means to glide over ice or a hard surface wearing skates. Example: “The children skated across the frozen pond all afternoon.”
verb
1
To glide over ice or a hard surface wearing skates.
"The children skated across the frozen pond all afternoon."
2
To avoid serious consequences for something you clearly did wrong.
"He skated on the charge thanks to a technicality."
"The manager seemed likely to skate even though everyone knew what he had done."
"Don't think you can skate through this just because nobody saw you."
noun
1
A flat-bodied fish related to rays, found on the seabed in most oceans.
"The trawler brought in a large skate along with the cod."
"The fishmonger had a fresh skate wing on the counter this morning."
"A skate lay flat and almost hidden on the sandy seabed."
How to use skate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo glide on ice skates or a skateboard; informally, to get away with wrongdoing; or a type of flat sea fish.
Common pairings
ice skate
skate by
skate on thin ice
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Word forms
- Plural
- skates
- Third person singular
- skates
- Past tense
- skated
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The children _____ across the frozen pond all afternoon.
Etymology
From Dutch schaats, ultimately from an Old French word for a stilt, related to a Germanic root meaning "to shake" or "to move quickly."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for skate
See all rhymes for skate →Frequently asked questions
What does “skate” mean?
The word “skate” means to glide over ice or a hard surface wearing skates. In plain terms, to glide on ice skates or a skateboard; informally, to get away with wrongdoing; or a type of flat sea fish.
How do you pronounce “skate”?
“Skate” is pronounced skayt (/skeɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “skate” in a sentence?
Here is “skate” used in a sentence: “The children skated across the frozen pond all afternoon.”
What part of speech is “skate”?
Depending on how it is used, “skate” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “skate” come from?
The word “skate” comes from Old French. From Dutch schaats, ultimately from an Old French word for a stilt, related to a Germanic root meaning "to shake" or "to move quickly.".
Is “skate” a common word?
“Skate” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “skate” have?
“Skate” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to glide over ice or a hard surface wearing skates.
What is the difference between 'skate' meaning to glide and 'skate' meaning to avoid consequences?
The literal sense of 'skate' means to glide over ice or a hard surface while wearing skates. The informal sense means to avoid serious consequences for wrongdoing, as in 'skate free' or 'skate by,' and has nothing to do with the physical activity.
Is a skate a type of fish?
Yes, a skate is a flat-bodied fish related to rays, found on the seabed in most oceans. This meaning is unrelated to the verb 'skate' used for gliding on ice or avoiding consequences.
Is 'skate by' or 'skate free' formal or informal?
Using 'skate' to mean avoiding serious consequences is informal English, common in everyday speech and casual writing rather than formal contexts.
