A light, bouncing gait where one alternates weight between feet in a rhythmic pattern, or the act of jumping over a turning rope. Can also mean omitting or passing over something.
From Middle English 'skippen', possibly from Old Norse 'skipa' meaning 'to run quickly' or 'to skip'. The word originally described a light, quick movement and has retained this sense of nimble locomotion since the 14th century.
Skipping is one of those uniquely joyful human movements that we associate so strongly with childhood that adults doing it seems almost transgressive. Linguistically, it's beautiful how the same word captures both the physical bouncing motion and the mental act of passing over something, connecting bodily and cognitive 'jumping over'.
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