skimmed off
Took from top
Skimmed off means removed from the top surface, like cream skimmed off milk.
The phrase often describes taking the best or most valuable portion: They skimmed off the top talent before other firms could recruit.
It frequently implies illicit extraction—embezzling funds or siphoning resources: The manager had been skimming off profits for years.
- embezzledStole entrusted money
- siphonedMoved liquid via suction
- slush fundHidden discretionary money pool
- cooking the booksManipulating financial statements illegally
- frothMass of small bubbles
scum · diverted · distilled · glanced · pilfered · impurities · laundered · cream · cream of the crop · perused · overviewed · misappropriated · selected · refined · extracted · filtered · scanned · fat
skimmed offadded
Included as extra
poured in · introduced · topped up · deposited · replenished
skimmed offblended in
Became indistinguishable from surroundings
incorporated · integrated · emulsified · dissolved · combined
skimmed offcontributed
Gave toward shared goal
deposited · invested · declared · accounted for · put back