A fork of Rural Dictionary
To avoid work but still appearing as though you are doing something.
Doing anything but that which you are supposed to be doing during a specific time frame.
E.G Pretending to do something for which you are being payed for, such as a your job, but instead doing other things (like having a laugh, phoning your friends, hiding from your boss, surfing the internet, playing computer games, having a sly cigarette) that are totally unrelated or unconected to that which is within your job description.
Taking 2 hours for lunch instead of 1 and getting a collegue to cover for you.
Leaving work earlier than you should, and hoping your boss doesn't notice.
Calling in sick to work, then going out for an all day pub crawl.
v. (mainly Brit.) To go AWOL and present an obscure excuse upon return.
My best excuse for skiving is the bus driver wouldn't let me pay for the fare in two pence pieces.
To be absent from work or school during the hours that you should normally be there for purposes that have nothing to do with your work or education activities. Used a lot in the construction industry.
Rebecca isn't here because she has skived off for a lunch time date.
Skipping school, or playing hooky, in England, as used by J.K. Rowling in the Harry Potter series,
The Weasley's skiving pills could give you any number of excuses to get out of school, including a fever, a bad rash or diarrhea.
The English term for faking sickness just so you can miss school/work
I’m gonna skive today so I miss the test