New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
Skitter — Skit ter, v. i. To pass or glide lightly or with quick touches at intervals; to skip; to skim. Some kinds of ducks in lighting strike the water with their tails first, and skitter along the surface for a feet before settling down. T. Roosevelt.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
skitter — [skit′ər] vi. [freq. of dial. skite, to dart about < Scand, akin to SHOOT] 1. to skip, scamper, or move along quickly and lightly, esp. over water ☆ 2. to draw a fish lure over the water with a skipping motion vt. to cause to skitter … English World dictionary
Skitter — Skit ter, v. t. [Cf. {Skit}, v. t.] To move or pass (something) over a surface quickly so that it touches only at intervals; to skip. The angler, standing in the bow, skitters or skips the spoon over the surface. James A. Henshall. [Webster 1913… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
skitter — to run rapidly, 1845, frequentative of skite to dart, run quickly (1721), perhaps from a Scandinavian source (Cf. Icelandic skjota to shoot, or Norw. dialectal skutla glide rapidly ); related to source of SKIT (Cf. skit) … Etymology dictionary
skitter — ► VERB ▪ move lightly and quickly or hurriedly. ORIGIN perhaps related to SKITE(Cf. ↑S) … English terms dictionary
skitter — UK [ˈskɪtə(r)] / US [ˈskɪtər] verb [intransitive] Word forms skitter : present tense I/you/we/they skitter he/she/it skitters present participle skittering past tense skittered past participle skittered to move somewhere quickly and lightly A… … English dictionary
skitter — /skit euhr/, v.i. 1. to go, run, or glide lightly or rapidly. 2. to skim along a surface. 3. Angling. to draw a lure or a baited hook over the water with a skipping motion. v.t. 4. to cause to skitter. [1835 45; skit, var. of SKITE1 + ER6] * * * … Universalium
skitter — 1. verb a) to move hurriedly or as by twitching or bouncing I opened the cabinet and hundreds of cockroaches went skittering off into the darkness. b) to make a skittering noise 2. noun … Wiktionary
skitter — skit|ter [ˈskıtə US ər] v [I always + adverb/preposition] [Date: 1800 1900; Origin: Probably from skite to slide, skip (18 20 centuries), probably from a Scandinavian language] to move very quickly and lightly, like a small animal = ↑scurry… … Dictionary of contemporary English
skitter — skit•ter [[t]ˈskɪt ər[/t]] v. i. 1) to go, run, or glide lightly or rapidly 2) to skim along a surface 3) spo to draw a lure or a baited hook over the water with a skipping motion 4) to cause to skitter • Etymology: 1835–45; appar. Scots skite to … From formal English to slang
