Skim vs Scour - What's the difference?

As verbs the difference between skim and scour

is that skim is to pass lightly; to glide along in an even, smooth course; to glide along near the surface while scour is to clean, polish, or wash something by scrubbing it vigorously.

As an adjective skim

is (of milk) having lowered fat content.

As a noun scour is

the removal of sediment caused by swiftly moving water.

skim

English

Verb

(skimm)

To pass lightly; to glide along in an even, smooth course; to glide along near the surface.

* Alexander Pope

Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain, / Flies o'er the unbending corn, and skims along the main.

To pass near the surface of; to brush the surface of; to glide swiftly along the surface of.

* Hazlitt

Homer describes Mercury as flinging himself from the top of Olympus, and skimming the surface of the ocean.

To hasten along with superficial attention.

* I. Watts

They skim over a science in a very superficial survey.

To put on a finishing coat of plaster.

to throw an object so it bounces on water (skimming stones )

to ricochet

to read quickly, skipping some detail

I skimmed the newspaper over breakfast.

to scrape off; to remove (something) from a surface

to clear (a liquid) from scum or substance floating or lying on it, by means of a utensil that passes just beneath the surface.

to skim''' milk; to '''skim broth

to clear a liquid from (scum or substance floating or lying on it), especially the cream that floats on top of fresh milk

to skim cream

Derived terms

* skim through * skim over * skim off * skimmed milk * skimmer * semi-skimmed

Adjective

(-)

(of milk) Having lowered fat content.

Derived terms

* skim milk

scour

English

Alternative forms

* scower (obsolete)

Verb

(en verb)

To clean, polish, or wash something by scrubbing it vigorously.

He scoured the burner pans to remove the burnt spills.

To remove by rubbing or cleansing; to sweep along or off.

He scoured the burnt food from the pan.

* Shakespeare

[I will] stain my favors in a bloody mask, / Which, washed away, shall scour my shame with it.

To search an area thoroughly.

They scoured the scene of the crime for clues.

(ambitransitive) To move swiftly over; to brush along.

* Alexander Pope

when swift Camilla scours the plain

* Dryden

So four fierce coursers, starting to the race, / Scour through the plain, and lengthen every pace.

(veterinary medicine) Of livestock, to suffer from diarrhea.

If a lamb is scouring , do not delay treatment.

(veterinary medicine) To purge.

to scour a horse

(obsolete) To cleanse.

* Francis Bacon

Warm water is softer than cold, for it scoureth better.

Derived terms

* scourer

Noun

(-)

The removal of sediment caused by swiftly moving water.

Bridge scour may scoop out scour holes and compromise the integrity of the bridge.