Читаем Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary полностью

1 N‑COUNT A skittle is a wooden object used as a target in the game of skittles. [mainly BRIT ]

2 N‑UNCOUNT Skittles is a game in which players try to knock over as many skittles as they can out of a group of nine by rolling a ball at them. [mainly BRIT ]

skive /ska I v/ (skives , skiving , skived ) VERB If you skive , you avoid working, especially by staying away from the place where you should be working. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V ] The company treated me as though I were skiving. ● PHRASAL VERB Skive off means the same as skive . □ [V P ] 'I absolutely hated school,' Rachel says. 'I skived off all the time.' □ [V P n] Almost everybody's kids skive off school.

skul|dug|gery /skʌldʌ gəri/ N‑UNCOUNT Skulduggery is behaviour in which someone acts in a dishonest way in order to achieve their aim. [WRITTEN ] □  …accusations of political skulduggery.

skulk /skʌ lk/ (skulks , skulking , skulked ) VERB If you skulk somewhere, you hide or move around quietly because you do not want to be seen. □ [V prep/adv] You, meanwhile, will be skulking in the safety of the car.

skull /skʌ l/ (skulls ) N‑COUNT Your skull is the bony part of your head which encloses your brain. □  Her husband was later treated for a fractured skull.

sku ll and cro ss|bones N‑SING A skull and crossbones is a picture of a human skull above a pair of crossed bones which warns of death or danger. It used to appear on the flags of pirate ships and is now sometimes found on containers holding poisonous substances. □  Skull and crossbones stickers on the drums aroused the suspicion of the customs officers.

sku ll cap (skull caps ) also skullcap N‑COUNT A skull cap is a small close-fitting cap.

skunk /skʌ ŋk/ (skunks )

1 N‑COUNT A skunk is a small black and white animal which releases an unpleasant smelling liquid if it is frightened or attacked. Skunks live in America.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Skunk is a type of powerful, strong-smelling marijuana. [INFORMAL ]

sky ◆◇◇ /ska I / (skies )

1 N‑VAR The sky is the space around the Earth which you can see when you stand outside and look upwards. □  The sun is already high in the sky. □  …warm sunshine and clear blue skies.

2pie in the sky → see pie

sky -blue COLOUR Something that is sky-blue is a very pale blue in colour. □  Her silk shirtdress was sky-blue, the colour of her eyes.

sky|div|er /ska I da I və ^r / (skydivers ) also sky diver N‑COUNT A skydiver is someone who goes skydiving.

sky|div|ing /ska I da I v I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Skydiving is the sport of jumping out of an aeroplane and falling freely through the air before opening your parachute.

sky -hi gh ADJ If you say that prices or confidence are sky-high , you are emphasizing that they are at a very high level. [EMPHASIS ] □  Christie said: 'My confidence is sky high.' □  …the effect of falling house prices and sky-high interest rates. ● ADV [ADV after v] Sky high is also an adverb. □  Their prestige went sky high.

sky|lark /ska I lɑː ^r k/ (skylarks ) N‑COUNT A skylark is a small brown bird that sings while flying high above the ground.

sky|light /ska I la I t/ (skylights ) N‑COUNT A skylight is a window in a roof.

sky|line /ska I la I n/ (skylines ) N‑COUNT The skyline is the line or shape that is formed where the sky meets buildings or the land. □  The village church dominates the skyline.

sky mar|shal (sky marshals ) N‑COUNT A sky marshal is an armed security guard who travels on passenger flights. [mainly AM ]