skate around

skate around

1. To move or travel from place to place on roller skates, ice skates, inline skates, or a skateboard, especially in an aimless or meandering manner. Tom and Jeff are skating around in the cul-de-sac. Why don't you head out there and join them? My mom still had some things to do in work before she was ready to drive us home, so I just skated around in front of her office building until she was done.
2. To avoid (someone or something) while moving on roller skates, ice skates, or a skateboard. Everyone just skated around the man who had fallen in the middle of the ice rink. I nearly fell off my board when I had to skate around the car that pulled out in front of me on the road.
3. To move or travel in one or more circles around (someone or something); to encircle (someone or something). I know it's your first time on the ice, so we're just going to skate around the edge of the rink for the time being. The group of bullies skated around me in a really intimidating way.
4. To avoid or evade (some issue or topic), as by circumlocution. Possibly a corruption of "skirt around (someone or something)." He always skates around the issue whenever I bring up pay raises for the people on my team. When asked about his role in the scandal, the CEO skated around the issue with a longwinded non sequitur about his loyalty to his company and its customers.
See also: around, skate
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

skate around someone or something

 
1. to skate to one side or the other of someone or something. Somehow I managed to skate around the child without knocking her down. I skated around the tree limb and avoided an accident.
2. to circle someone or something while skating. The children skated around their instructor until she was satisfied with their form. We skated around the post in a circle.
See also: around, skate

skate around

to skate here and there in no particular direction. Let's go over to the pond and skate around. We will skate around for a while until we get too cold.
See also: around, skate
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • ditch (some place)
  • jump about
  • flounce into (some place)
  • be driven, pushed, etc. from pillar to post
  • be pushed from pillar to post
  • flouncing
  • flounce
  • flounce in
  • flock in
  • flock in(to) (some place or thing)
References in periodicals archive
"It was not her original error, she was trying to skate around the issue," said a colleague.
Adie's PM gaffe
Barry Satlow, chair of the ACLU's Boulder chapter, is concerned school officials' efforts to skate around a hot topic violates this student's First Amendment rights (that's the one about free speech).
Weird Science
The Blackhawks missed Marian Hossa in their skate around Friday, but he is still expected to play Saturday.
Game 5 Boston Bruins Vs Chicago Blackhawks: Where To Watch Free Online Stream, Prediction, Betting Odds, And Preview For NHL 2013 Stanley Cup Finals
That's one of the things I love most about NY: You can skate around until whenever and not feel too sketched out.
Golf Wang: Odd future meets chicks with jeans and no pockets: one thing I've learned from touring with Odd Future is that the most unpredictable things emerge out of nowhere. I can be selling shirts one moment, then two seconds later I'm in the photo pit of a Dipset show losing my shit to "Bout It Bout It Pt 3." From LA to NY to London, Golf Wang is guaranteed to get anything TU
You need to ook at how you are holding yourself as you skate around the ice."
STEVE'S HEAVE-HO
"I must skate around five miles a week on the three days I work - Monday, Friday and Saturday - as the store is bigger than two football pitches.
Mirror WORKS: QUICK FIX
We really just want to skate around and have a good time.
My mom
WANDER through the German market, skate around the ice rink, visit the circus and nativity scene and, of course, Father Christmas.
TRAVEL: GREAT DAYS OUT
Now, instead of being given missions at the beginning of each two-minute run, you can skate around to your heart's content and approach characters who will then assign goals.
Kelly's i: Game ZONE
I wish we had had more time in Philly 'cause this is an amazing city to skate around. You've seen it in the videos but that doesn't do it justice.
First place losers
The idea is to skate around various levels performing tricks and stunts and there is plenty of variety.
Kelly's i Game ZONE: AGRESSIVE INLINE Aug 2, PS2; Aug 23, Xbox; Aug 31, GameCube, pounds 35
But once they saw that I could skate around and do tricks normally, everything was fine.
Og de Sauza: "Barehanded is rough sometimes, but it works"
Usually someone wants to go skate around town; it's good to have a group like that.
Peter Ramon Detta interview