skim
UK: /skɪm/ | US: /skɪm/
vt. to remove a substance from the surface of a liquid
vt. to read or glance through quickly or superficially
vi. to move lightly and swiftly over a surface
The word "skim" originates from Middle English skymen, derived from Old French escumer ("to remove scum"), which in turn comes from escume ("scum," from Late Latin scuma). The root sk- reflects the action of gliding or brushing lightly, while -im (a variant of -en) marks it as a verb. Over time, "skim" expanded from its literal sense of removing scum to metaphorical uses like quick reading or swift movement.
She skimmed the cream off the top of the milk.
He skimmed the newspaper during breakfast.
The stone skimmed across the pond.
The report is too long—just skim the highlights.
Birds skimmed the waves as they searched for fish.