sky

[skahy]

noun

plural

skies 

1. the region of the clouds or the upper air; the upper atmosphere of the earth.

   airplanes in the sky; cloudy skies.

2. the heavens or firmament, appearing as a great arch or vault.

3. the supernal or celestial heaven.

   They looked to the sky for help.

4. the climate.

   the sunny skies of Italy.

5. Obsolete.,  a cloud.

verb (used with object)

skied, skyed, skying. 

1. Informal.,  to raise, throw, or hit aloft or into the air.

2. Informal.,  to hang (a painting) high on a wall, above the line of vision.

verb phrase

1. sky up,  (of prey, when flushed) to fly straight upward.

sky

/ skaɪ /

noun

1. (sometimes plural) the apparently dome-shaped expanse extending upwards from the horizon that is characteristically blue or grey during the day, red in the evening, and black at night

2. outer space, as seen from the earth

3. (often plural) weather, as described by the appearance of the upper air

   sunny skies

4. the source of divine power; heaven

5. informal,  the highest level of attainment

   the sky's the limit

6. highly; extravagantly

verb

1. rowing to lift (the blade of an oar) too high before a stroke

2. informal,  (tr) to hit (a ball) high in the air

sky

1. The atmosphere, as seen from a given point on the Earth's surface. The sky appears to be blue because the wavelengths associated with blue light are scattered more easily than those that are associated with the other colors.

Other Word Forms

• skylike adjective
• skyless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sky¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Old Norse skȳ “cloud,” cognate with Old English scēo “cloud”

Word History and Origins

Origin of sky¹

C13: from Old Norse skӯ; related to Old English scio cloud, Old Saxon skio, Old Norse skjār transparent skin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. to the skies, with lavishness or enthusiasm; extravagantly: Also to the sky

   to praise someone to the skies.

2. out of a / the clear sky, without advance notice or warning; abruptly: Also out of athe clear blue sky

   An old beau phoned her out of a clear sky.

More idioms and phrases containing sky

• blow sky-high
• out of a clear blue sky
• pie in the sky
• reach for the sky

Example Sentences

"Even planes fall out of the sky sometimes. Accidents happen," said another woman.

From BBC

This reddish appearance is the result of a phenomenon called "Rayleigh scattering" which also makes the sky blue and our sunsets red.

From BBC

But that did little to allay the concerns of Dermish and his neighbors, who continued to see flares light up the sky and to smell gas wafting over the community.

From Salon

Dorothy belts “Over the Rainbow” underneath newly actualized bluebirds and an impressively ominous sky.

From Los Angeles Times

After a long display of cutting-edge weaponry, including nuclear missiles, the parade concluded with thousands of doves and balloons released into the skies over Beijing.

From BBC