Meaning & use
to sky
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Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
The infinitive form of the verb 'sky', meaning to hit a ball high into the air, especially in sports.
Grammar: Used after certain verbs or as a purpose clause: 'He tried to sky the ball.' The base verb is 'sky'.
Patterns
- try to sky something
- want to sky something
- to sky the ball
He tried to sky the ball but missed it completely.
She didn't want to sky the shot, so she aimed low.
The coach told him not to sky every kick.
Common combinations
- to sky the ball
- The defender tried to sky the ball clear of the goal.
- to sky a shot
- He managed to sky a shot right over the crossbar.
- to sky a kick
- In rugby, you might to sky a kick to gain territory.
Synonyms and how they differ
- to loft
- Loft is more general and often neutral; to sky suggests a higher, sometimes uncontrolled, arc.
- to punt
- Punt is a specific kick in football; to sky focuses on the height, not the type of kick.
Word family
Commonly confused: to sky or skye?
to sky vs skye
Skye is a Scottish island; 'sky' is the air above or the action of hitting high.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'to sky' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'To sky' is the infinitive of the verb 'sky', which takes an object like 'the ball'. The other options use 'sky' without a suitable object or with an unrelated meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to sky”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.