Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense skippers, present participle skippering, past tense, past participle skippered
1. countable noun
You can use skipper to refer to the captain of a ship or boat.
...the skipper of an English fishing boat. [+ of]
Gunfire, skipper!
Synonyms: captain, master More Synonyms of skipper
2. countable noun
You can use skipper to refer to the captain of a sports team.
The England skipper is confident.
3. verb
To skipper a team or a boat means to be the captain of it.
He skippered the second Rugby XV. [VERB noun]
The yacht was skippered by Pierre Mas. [VERB noun]
skipper in British English1
(ˈskɪpə)
noun
1.
the captain of any vessel
2.
the captain of an aircraft
3.
a manager or leader, as of a sporting team
verb
4.
to act as skipper (of)
Word origin
C14: from Middle Low German, Middle Dutch schipper shipper
skipper in British English2
(ˈskɪpə)
noun
1.
a person or thing that skips
2.
any small butterfly of the family Hesperiidae, having a hairy mothlike body and erratic darting flight
3. another name for saury
skipper in American English1
(ˈskɪpər)
noun
1.
a person or thing that skips
2.
saury
3.
any of a family (Hesperiidae) of mostly small, heavy-bodied butterflies, having threadlike antennae usually ending in a hook, and characterized by short, erratic bursts of flight
4.
any skipping insect
skipper in American English2
(ˈskɪpər)
noun
1.
the captain of a ship, esp. of a small ship or boat
2.
any leader, director, or captain
verb transitive
3.
to act as skipper of
Word origin
ME < MDu schipper < schip, a ship
Examples of 'skipper' in a sentence
skipper
Each yacht carries knowledgeable skippers and crew members.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Boat skippers would have to apply for licences.
The Sun (2009)
Get two of you to hold a long rope at either end with one skipper standing in the middle.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It was a taste of what could be in the not too distant future for the youth team skipper.
The Sun (2014)
Many of those who will skipper their own yacht this summer have yet to lay hand on rudder in anger.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
To keep snubbing the only real skipper in the team is an insult to a player who has always given his all.
The Sun (2011)
So yesterday the Aussie skipper was absolutely crucial.
The Sun (2013)
The company's systematic deception involved six owners and skippers of fishing vessels and an auctioneer.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
On any boat there can be only one skipper, all right?
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The boat 's skipper was taken to hospital.
The Sun (2006)
There are two pools, or you can hire a skippered yacht.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
No one bettered the skipper's haul.
The Sun (2016)
But with the England skipper in the team there is always hope.
The Sun (2015)
After two years he passed the exam to skipper any boat up to 25 metres in length.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
And he loves sailing: he skippers racing yachts.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
An expert yacht skipper, she also liked to take time off in the summer to go sailing.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But he has been ditched as one-day skipper because of poor form and the worry is that his decline is permanent.
The Sun (2015)
In this series England have bowled beautifully to the Aussie skipper.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He is the first Aussie skipper in 120 years to suffer that humiliation.
The Sun (2011)
The wretched survivors told rescuers the boat 's skipper abandoned them - although it was unclear last night how he managed to flee.
The Sun (2008)
NEW skipper, new manager, new kit.
The Sun (2012)
Usually from the bemused skipper of a boat I'd just rammed.
The Sun (2012)
As I heave myself into the dive boat, the skipper shouts and points over my shoulder.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The crew of 20 quickly regained control of the vessel but the skipper offered himself to the attackers as a hostage to ensure his men's safety.
The Sun (2009)
Word lists with
skipper
butterfly
In other languages
skipper
British English: skipper NOUN
You can use skipper to refer to the captain of a ship or boat.