skiff /skɪf/noun 5verb 3forms 3 noun5 •A small flat-bottomed open boat with a pointed bow and square stern. •Any of various types of boats small enough for sailing or rowing by one person.I went alone into a Shepherd's boat, A skiff that to a willow-tree was tied Within a rocky cave, its usual home […] — 1799 •A light, fleeting shower of rain or snow, or gust of wind, etc.A skiff of rain blew into the shed and the two men moved their chairs back. •A (typically light) dusting of snow or ice (or dust, etc) (on ground, water, trees, etc).At sunrise there was a slight skiff of ice on some water in a bucket; […] — 1877 •An act of slightly pruning tea bushes, placing new leaves at a convenient height without removing much woody growth.In the fourth year, "light skiff" pruning removes just the uppermost growth. — 2001 verb3 •To navigate in a skiff. •To cut (a tea bush) to maintain the plucking table.Skiffing is the lightest form of pruning involving as it does removal of a certain amount of growth above the previous pruning level. — 2016 •(dialect) To fall lightly or briefly, and lightly cover the ground (etc).We must be constantly alert to increased accident potentials in taxiing, takeoff, and landings on ice-glazed and snow-skiffed runways. — 1957 formsskiffed · skiffing · skiffs
