skate

plural skates

1. A runner or blade, usually of steel, with a frame shaped to fit the sole of a shoe, made to be fastened under the foot, and used for gliding on ice.

   They open or shut, according as the foot to which the skate is attached moves downwards or upwards and the swimmer advances by the alternate motion of his limbs, as in mounting a stair, keeping the body and head inclined a little forward, as in skating.

   1847, editorial staff, “Swimming Skate”, in Scientific American, series 1, Volume 3, Issue 9, page 68

2. abbreviationellipsisEllipsis of ice skate.
3. abbreviationellipsisEllipsis of roller skate.
4. The act of skateboarding

   There's time for a quick skate before dinner.

5. The act of roller skating or ice skating

   The boys had a skate every morning when the lake was frozen.

6. Philippineschiefly Bicolrail transportA makeshift handcar.

present singular third person skates · participle present skating · participle past skated · past skated

1. To move along a surface (ice or ground) using skates.
2. To skateboard.
3. hobbiesTo use the skating technique.
4. slangTo get away with something; to be acquitted of a crime for which one is manifestly guilty.
5. To move smoothly and easily.

   Addressing a short pass from Henderson, he always felt too smart for Mykola Matviyenko, taking a step to lure him one way; dropping his shoulder and skating in the other direction, further inside.

   March 26 2023, David Hytner, “Kane and Bukayo Saka combine against Ukraine for England’s perfect Euros start”, in The Guardian

1. not comparablehobbiesPertaining to the technique of skating.

plural skates

1. A fish of the family Rajidae in the superorder Batoidea (rays) which inhabit most seas; generally having small heads with protruding muzzles, and wide fins attached to a flat body.

   I opt for skate, which comes with a Champagne sauce, and a glass of Californian Pinot Gris.

   2025 September 13, Daniel Thomas, “Lunch with the FT: Shonda Rhimes”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 3

   2 more examples

   The fishermen crowding in the cafés were also waiting for the end of the storm, when the fish, reassured, would rise to the surface after the bait. Soles, hog fish and skate were returning from their nocturnal expeditions. Day was now breaking.

   1952, Nikos Kazantzakis, chapter 1, in Carl Wildman, transl., Zorba the Greek, New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, translation of Βίος και πολιτεία του Αλέξη Ζορμπά [Víos kai politeía tou Aléxi Zormpá], →ISBN, page 3

   Other deep creatures now being harvested or targeted as seafood include rattails, skates, squid, red crabs, orange roughy, black oreos, smooth oreos, hoki, blue ling, southern blue whiting, sablefish, black scabbard fish and spiny dogfish.

   1995 December 26, William J. Broad, “Creatures of the Deep Find Their Way to the Table”, in The New York Times

plural skates

1. A worn-out horse, a nag, a jade.
2. alternativeAlternative form of skite (“a mean or contemptible person”).

1. slanglifestyleThe ship of characters James "Sawyer" Ford and Kate Austen from the television series Lost.

   (I've never subscribed to either of the Kate ships on the show, but even I was almost a Skate convert in that moment.)

   2010, Nikki Stafford, Finding Lost, Season Six, unnumbered page

   2 more examples

   But 'Skate' fans ended the series quite disappointed in him, as it seems that even after leaving with Kate, they couldn't be together.

   2010, Robert Dougherty, Lost: It Only Ends Once: An Unofficial Last Look, page 294

   And while, as a Skate fan, I have to admit I was a bit disappointed that my side of the love square ultimately didn't win out (Sawyer ended up with Juliet, Jack ended up with Kate), I have to say I adored this small scene between my couple!

   2015, James O'Ehley, Erin Willard, editors, The Take2 Guide to Lost: The Ultimate Compendium, unnumbered page