skewer

Meanings

Noun

• A long pin, normally made of metal or wood, used to secure food during cooking.
• Food served on a skewer.
• A scenario in which a piece attacks a more valuable piece which, if it moves aside, reveals a less valuable piece.
• That which skews something.

Verb

• To impale on a skewer.
• To attack a piece which has a less valuable piece behind it.
• To severely mock or discredit.

Adjective

• Comparative form or more of skew

Origin

• From Middle English skeuier, skuer, likely a variant of Middle English *skever, *skiver (compare Modern English skiver), probably of North Germanic origin, compare Icelandic skífa, Norwegian skive, Swedish skiva, Swedish skifer.
• From skew + -er.