Reading Theme:
Skirt Definition: Clothing & Avoidance (n./v.) (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：a woman's skirt (skirt)
skirt
/skɜːrt/
n./v.
A piece of clothing for women and girls that hangs from the waist and covers the legs without being divided into two separate parts.
a woman's skirt
➕
/ə ˈwʊmənz skɜːrt/
n./v.
A piece of clothing worn from the waist down, typically by women and girls, that hangs over the legs without dividing them.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Old Norse 'skyrta' meaning shirt; related to 'short' as a garment shortened from a tunic.
💡 Mnemonic
Imagine the hem of a skirt circling your legs; to skirt an issue means to circle around it without confronting it.
📖 Example
She chose a flowy floral skirt for her first day at the office to feel both comfortable and professional.
She chose a flowy floral skirt for her first day at the office to feel both comfortable and professional.
🔗 Collocations
wear a skirt – to put on a skirt as an item of clothing
skirt length – the measurement from waist to hem of a skirt
pleated skirt – a skirt with folded pleats for decoration and movement
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
trousers (n.) – a garment covering each leg separately, typically worn by men and women
🌱 Derivatives
📖 Cultural Story
Originally a short tunic for men, the word shifted to women's garment by the 14th century. The verb sense arose from moving along the hem-like edge of something.
Meaning 2：go around or avoid (skirt)
skirt
/skɜːrt/
n./v.
To go around the edge of something; or to avoid discussing or dealing with a difficult subject or problem.
go around or avoid
➕
/ɡoʊ əˈraʊnd ɔːr əˈvɔɪd/
n./v.
To move along the edge of something, or to deliberately avoid addressing a difficult topic or problem directly.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
The hiking trail skirts the beautiful lake, offering stunning views without getting too close to the steep cliffs.
The hiking trail skirts the beautiful lake, offering stunning views without getting too close to the steep cliffs.
🔗 Collocations
skirt the issue – to avoid talking about the main problem
skirt around – to go around the edge of something physically or figuratively
skirt the law – to avoid breaking the law while acting in a morally questionable way
🔄 Synonyms
evade (v.) – to escape or avoid something, especially a duty or question
circumvent (v.) – to find a way around an obstacle or rule, often through cleverness
sidestep (v.) – to avoid a problem or question by stepping aside or changing the subject
🚫 Antonyms
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