skase: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low / Regional SlangInformal / Colloquial
Quick answer
What does “skase” mean?
An Australian slang term meaning to leave hurriedly or escape, particularly to avoid creditors or legal issues.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An Australian slang term meaning to leave hurriedly or escape, particularly to avoid creditors or legal issues.
To flee from financial obligations, legal authorities, or uncomfortable situations; can imply a sudden, secretive departure. Sometimes used humorously or ironically.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
This term is virtually unknown and not used in standard British or American English. Understanding would be limited to those familiar with Australian news history.
Connotations
In Australian context, connotes financial scandal, evasion of responsibility, and flight to a foreign haven (often Spain, where Skase fled). In UK/US, the word would likely be misinterpreted as a typo or nonsense.
Frequency
Frequency is effectively zero in British and American corpora. It is a historical/cultural reference in Australian English, not a living, productive slang term.
Grammar
How to Use “skase” in a Sentence
[Subject] did a skase[Subject] skased (from [Location]) (to [Location])Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “skase” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The dodgy director decided to skase to the Mediterranean before the police arrived.
- He's talking about skasing if the tax bill comes through.
American English
- (Not used in AmE) Hypothetical: If a CEO fled like Skase, you could say he 'skased'.
- (Not used in AmE) The cartoon villain planned to skase with the loot.
adverb
British English
- He left skase, without telling a soul.
- They moved the money skase, just before the regulators noticed.
American English
- (Not used in AmE) Hypothetical: The character acted skase, packing a single bag in the night.
- (Not used in AmE) The funds were transferred skase.
adjective
British English
- He had a skase plan ready for when things went south.
- The documents outlined a skase route via several countries.
American English
- (Not used in AmE) In a story about Australia: The reporter uncovered the businessman's skase strategy.
- (Not used in AmE) It was a classic skase maneuver.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used humorously or critically in Australian business contexts to refer to a executive or entrepreneur fleeing financial ruin. (e.g., 'After the audit, he was worried he'd have to skase.')
Academic
Only in historical or cultural studies discussing 1990s Australian corporate scandals.
Everyday
Very rare. Might be used by older Australians recalling the event. Not part of active, contemporary slang.
Technical
No usage in technical fields.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “skase”
- Using it as a general synonym for 'leave'.
- Using it outside an Australian context where it will not be understood.
- Spelling it 'skaze' or 'scase'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It originates from the name of Australian businessman Christopher Skase, who fled to Spain in the 1990s to avoid legal proceedings related to his collapsed Qintex empire.
No. It is highly informal, regionally specific slang and would be inappropriate in any formal context, even in Australia.
No, it is not common. It is a historical reference from a specific scandal. Younger Australians may not know the term, and it is not productive in creating new phrases.
It is most commonly used as a verb (to skase) but can also be used informally as a noun (do a skase) or adjective (a skase plan), following the pattern of eponymous verbs like 'to boycott'.
An Australian slang term meaning to leave hurriedly or escape, particularly to avoid creditors or legal issues.
Skase: in British English it is pronounced /skeɪz/, and in American English it is pronounced /skeɪz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Do a Skase”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the famous Australian fugitive Christopher SKASE. To SKASE is to do what he did: SKedaddle A.S.a.p. Elsewhere.
Conceptual Metaphor
ESCAPE IS A PROPRIETARY ACTION (named after a specific person).
Practice
Quiz
In which variety of English is the word 'skase' primarily known and used?