skip (redirected from skipping)

a hop, skip, and a jump

Fig. a short distance. Bill lives just a hop, skip, and a jump from here. We can be there in two minutes. My car is parked just a hop, skip, and a jump away.

See also: and, jump

jump bail and skip bail

Fig. to fail to appear in court for trial and forfeit one's bail bond. Not only was Bob arrested for theft, he skipped bail and left town. He's in a lot of trouble. The judge issued a warrant for the arrest of the man who jumped bail.

See also: bail, jump

one's heart misses a beat and one's heart skips a beat

Fig. one's heart flutters or palpitates; one has a strong emotional reaction. Whenever I'm near you, my heart skips a beat. When the racehorse fell, my heart missed a beat.

See also: beat, heart, miss

skip (out)

Inf. to leave; to run away without doing something, such as paying a bill. The guy skipped when the waitress wasn't looking. Fred skipped out, leaving me with the bill.

Skip it!

Inf. Never mind!; Forget it! (shows impatience or disappointment.) John: I need some help on this project. Mary: What? John: oh, skip it! Jane: Will you be able to do this, or should I get someone with more experience? Bob: What did you say? Jane: oh, skip it!

skip off (with something)

Fig. to leave and take something with one. The little kid with the freckles skipped off with a candy bar. He took the candy bar I offered him and skipped off.

skip out (on someone or something)

Fig. to sneak away from someone or some event; to leave someone or an event suddenly or in secret. I heard that Bill skipped out on his wife. I'm not surprised. I thought he should have skipped out long ago.

See also: out

skip out with something

Fig. to leave and take something with one; to steal something. The hotel guest skipped out with the towels. someone skipped out with the petty cash box. skip over someone or something not to choose someone or something next in line. she skipped over me and chose the next one in line. I skipped over the red ones and took a blue one.

See also: out

skip rope

to jump over an arc of rope that is swung beneath one's feet then over one's head, repeatedly. The children skipped rope on the playground. The boxer skipped rope while training.

See also: rope

skip through something

to go through a book or a stack of papers without dealing with every page. I skipped through the book, just looking at the pictures. Ted skipped through the report, not bothering to read it.

See also: through

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somebody's heart misses/skips a beat

if someone's heart misses a beat, they suddenly feel so excited or frightened that their heart beats faster Ben walked into the room and her heart skipped a beat.

See also: beat, heart, miss

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your heart skips a beat also your heart stands still

you are suddenly surprised, excited, or frightened Ben walked into the room and her heart skipped a beat. When the shark came toward us, my heart stood still.

See also: beat, heart

jump bail also skip bail

to fail to appear in court after giving money to obtain your release before trial McPhee jumped bail and was never heard from again.

See also: bail, jump

not miss a beat also not skip a beat

to not pause George didn't miss a beat when we asked him what kind of car we should buy for our daughter. Even when she's asked embarrassing questions, she doesn't skip a beat.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the form without missing a beat: Ella forgot the words she had memorized but, without missing a beat, she made up new ones.

Etymology: based on the idea of the regular beat of music or the heart

See also: beat, miss

skip it

do not worry about it “Why is New York called the Empire State?” “What did you say?” “Skip it - it's not important.”

Related vocabulary: never mind (somebody/something)

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of skip something (to not have or do something)

skip out (on somebody)

to suddenly leave someone Our roommate skipped out on us just before the rent was due.

See also: out

skip out (on something) also skip out (of something)

to avoid something He's been skipping out on hockey practice to go skateboarding.

See also: out

skip over somebody/something

to omit or not choose someone or something I skipped over the boring parts of the exhibition. The director skipped over me when choosing a managing editor.