Skive

Skive (verb / UK Slang)

(Also heard as: Skiving, Skiver, Skive off)

Definition:

To skive is to avoid work or school, usually by pretending to be busy or ill or by simply not turning up. A skiver is someone who does it regularly. “Skive off” means to sneak away from something you should be doing.

Where Skive Comes From:

Skive is often linked to the French word “esquiver”, meaning to dodge or slip away, which entered British military slang in the early 1900s. The exact route is not fully certain, but the sense of dodging duty has been consistent. It is now a common word in British and Irish English, and it is also used in Australia and New Zealand.

How People Actually Use Skive:

Most often it describes bunking off, whether that is a pupil skipping a lesson or an employee slipping out early. “Skiving off school” is the classic phrase. It is usually light-hearted, though bosses and teachers are less amused. “Skiver” can also be a mild insult for someone who never pulls their weight.

Is Skive Used in the USA?

No. Americans say “ditch”, “skip” or “play hooky”. If you say you are skiving, they will probably need an explanation.

Examples in the Wild:

• “He skived off school to go to the match.”

  Meaning: He skipped class without permission.

• “Stop skiving and help with the washing up.”

  Meaning: Stop avoiding your share of the work.

• “I am not ill, I am just skiving.”

  Meaning: I am pretending to be unwell to avoid work.

Similar Slang:

Faff, Blag, Cheeky, Bed Rot, Bunk off, Play hooky

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