Learn English – Difference between “read”, “scan”, and “skim”

differencesmeaningverbs

What is the exact difference between read, scan, and skim? Is the difference related to the concentration on the text, or is there anything else?

The answer is really important for me, since I often see these words in the texts I read.

Best Answer

  • Reading is manually reading the numbers off the card, as for an Internet or phone transaction.

  • Scanning is passing the card through a magnetic strip scanner to digitally read the card information.

  • Skimming is illicitly scanning a card for the purpose of fraud or theft.


For what it's worth this was written "tongue-in-cheek."

Incidentally, the terminology does fit.