The word skirt has two main meanings:

1. A piece of clothing that hangs from the waist down, worn by girls and women (and in some cultures, by men and boys too). Skirts come in many styles: long flowing skirts that sweep the ground, short skirts that end above the knee, pleated skirts with neat folds, and everything in between. Scottish men traditionally wear kilts, which are a type of skirt, and in ancient Rome, soldiers wore skirt-like garments into battle.
2. To go around the edge of something, or to avoid dealing with something directly. You might skirt a puddle to keep your shoes dry, walking along its edge instead of through it. A hiking trail might skirt the base of a mountain, following along its perimeter. When someone skirts an uncomfortable question, they answer in a way that avoids the real issue, like responding “I've been busy” when asked why they haven't finished their homework. Politicians sometimes skirt difficult topics by changing the subject or giving vague answers.