skiver: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal (for avoiding work); Technical (for leatherworking).
Quick answer
What does “skiver” mean?
(verb, chiefly British) To avoid work or duty.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
(verb, chiefly British) To avoid work or duty; to play truant. (noun) A person who avoids work, or a tool for thinning leather.
The verb can also mean to cut leather or a similar material into thin layers. The noun can refer to a thin piece of leather.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The verb meaning 'to avoid work' is primarily British. In American English, equivalent terms like 'shirk' or 'play hooky' are used. The leatherworking term is known in both varieties but is technical.
Connotations
In British English, it can be playful or mildly disapproving. In American English, it is rarely used and may be unfamiliar.
Frequency
The work-avoidance sense is relatively common in British informal speech; it is very rare in American English.
Grammar
How to Use “skiver” in a Sentence
skive off (intransitive)skive something (transitive, leatherworking)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “skiver” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He decided to skive off work and watch football.
- She's always skiving when the manager isn't around.
American English
- He tried to skive off from his chores, but his mother caught him.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Informally used in British workplaces to criticise someone for not pulling their weight.
Academic
Rare, except in studies of workplace behaviour or sociology.
Everyday
Common in British English to describe avoiding work or school.
Technical
Used in leathercraft to refer to the tool or process of thinning leather.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “skiver”
- Using 'skiver' in American contexts where it is not understood.
- Confusing the work-avoidance meaning with the leather tool meaning.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is primarily used in British English. In American English, people might use 'shirker', 'slacker', or 'play hooky'.
Yes, in British English, 'to skive' (often with 'off') is a verb meaning to avoid work or duty.
In leatherworking, a skiver is a tool used to thin leather, or the act of thinning leather is called skiving.
No, when used to mean someone who avoids work, it is informal. The leatherworking term is technical and used in that specific context.
(verb, chiefly British) To avoid work or duty.
Skiver: in British English it is pronounced /ˈskaɪvə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈskaɪvər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “skiver's paradise”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A skiver is a slacker who tries to SKIp work and shiVER in fear of being caught.
Conceptual Metaphor
Avoiding work is like cutting away from responsibility (linking the two meanings).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'skiver' in British informal English?