What does "skewer" mean?
A long pin, normally made of metal or wood, used to secure food during cooking.
Skewer
/ˈskjuː.ɚ/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A long pin, normally made of metal or wood, used to secure food during cooking.
- Grammar: skewer is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: articulate, auger, barbecue stick, batten.
- Useful contrasts: applaud, commend, detach.
- Usage evidence: Could you cook a skewer for me, please?
How to use "skewer"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "skewer" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "skewer" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "skewer" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "skewer" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "skewer" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "articulate" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "skewer", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A long pin, normally made of metal or wood, used to secure food during cooking.
"Larissa, 107 miles from Salonica, is reached at 10.33, and there is a halt of 17 min. while vendors of oranges, cheese, meat on skewers, sweetmeats, and Turkish coffee do a brisk trade."
- 2 That which skews something. rare
- 3 a long pin for holding meat in position while it is being roasted wordnet
- 4 Food served on a skewer.
- 5 A scenario in which a piece attacks a more valuable piece which, if it moves aside, exposes a less valuable piece.
Verb
- 1 To impale on a skewer.
- 2 drive a skewer through wordnet
- 3 To attack a piece which has a less valuable piece behind it.
- 4 To severely mock or discredit. figuratively
"Parody, in its purest form, is an act of both mockery and appreciation. True masters of the practice possess a bone-deep understanding of their targets; they skewer because they love—or at least, because they’ve done their homework."
Adjective
- 1 comparative form of skew: more skew comparative, form-of
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Could you cook a skewer for me, please?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "skewer"?
Common synonyms include: articulate, auger, barbecue stick, batten, batten down, berate.
How do you use "skewer" in a sentence?
Could you cook a skewer for me, please?
How do you pronounce "skewer"?
Pronounced /ˈskjuː.ɚ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English skeuier, skuer, likely a variant of Middle English *skever, *skiver (compare Modern English skiver), probably of North Germanic origin, compare Icelandic skífa (“to slice”), Norwegian skive, Swedish skiva, Swedish skifer (“a slate”).
Etymology 2
From skew + -er.