skim off (something)

to take something valuable.

The colleges with very high standards skim off the best high school graduates.

State and local governments skim tax money off the company's profits.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of skim off (= to remove something floating on a liquid)

• every inch of
• every inch of somewhere
• every inch the
• every inch the something
• every last
• every man for himself
• every man jack
• every man jack of us
• every man jack them
• every nook and cranny
• every now and again
• every now and then
• every once in a while
• everyone and his brother
• Everyone has their cross to bear.
• every other
• every other something
• every so often
• everything but the kitchen sink
• Everything in the garden is rosy.
• Everything's coming up roses.
• everything under the sun
• every time someone turns around
• every time someone turns round
• every time turn around