Definition

1. Noun:

   • The natural outer covering of a human or animal body: The skin is the organ that forms a protective barrier.
   • The hide or pelt of an animal, often used for leather: The skin of a cow is used to make shoes and bags.
   • The outer layer or peel of a fruit or vegetable: The skin of an apple can be eaten or removed.
   • A thin outer layer or surface: The skin of an aircraft must be strong and lightweight.

2. Verb:

   • To remove the skin from something: To skin a fruit or an animal.
   • To injure by scraping or grazing the surface of the skin: To skin one's knee in a fall.
   • To climb or move awkwardly, especially using hands and feet: To skin up a steep, rocky slope.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • She has sensitive skin. (The outer covering of her body is sensitive.)
  • He bought a rug made from bear skin. (He purchased a rug made from the hide of a bear.)
  • Don't throw away the potato skins; they can be crispy when roasted. (Do not discard the outer layers of the potatoes.)
  • The airplane's skin was damaged by hail. (The outer surface of the airplane was harmed.)

• Verb:

  • Please skin the peaches before making the pie. (Please remove the outer layer from the peaches.)
  • The child skinned his elbow on the pavement. (The child scraped the skin off his elbow.)
  • They had to skin up the last part of the cliff. (They had to climb the cliff in an awkward, scrambling manner.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be skin and bone(s)": to be extremely thin.

  • After his illness, he was just skin and bones. (He was very emaciated.)

• "to get under someone's skin": to annoy or irritate someone deeply; alternatively, to affect someone emotionally.

  • His constant whistling really gets under my skin. (It annoys me intensely.)
  • That song gets under my skin; it makes me feel nostalgic. (It affects me emotionally.)

• "to save one's (own) skin": to escape from danger, especially to avoid being killed or punished.

  • He betrayed his partners to save his own skin. (He acted to ensure his own safety.)

• "by the skin of one's teeth": by a very narrow margin; just barely.

  • She passed the exam by the skin of her teeth. (She passed with the smallest possible margin.)

Variants and Related Words

• Skinny (adjective): very thin.
  • The stray dog was skinny and hungry.
• Skinless (adjective): having no skin.
  • The recipe calls for skinless chicken breasts.
• Skin-deep (adjective): superficial; not deep or lasting.
  • Her kindness was only skin-deep.
• Skinned (adjective): having skin of a specified kind.
  • A fair-skinned person. (A person with light-colored skin.)

Synonyms

• Noun: Hide, pelt, rind, peel, epidermis, integument.
• Verb: Peel, pare, flay, graze, scrape, scramble.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Skin over: to form a new layer of skin over a wound.
  • The cut is starting to skin over. (New skin is beginning to cover the cut.)

Related Idioms

• It's no skin off my nose/back: It doesn't affect or bother me.
  • If he wants to waste his money, it's no skin off my nose.
• To have a thick skin: to be insensitive to criticism or insults.
  • Politicians need to have a thick skin.
• To have a thin skin: to be easily upset by criticism or insults.
  • He has a thin skin and gets offended easily.
• To jump out of one's skin: to be extremely startled or frightened.
  • The loud noise made me jump out of my skin.

Noun

1. a bag serving as a container for liquids; it is made from the hide of an animal
2. the rind of a fruit or vegetable
3. a person's skin regarded as their life
   • he tried to save his skin
4. body covering of a living animal
5. an outer surface (usually thin)
   • the skin of an airplane
6. a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch
   • your skin is the largest organ of your body

Verb

1. strip the skin off
   • pare apples
2. remove the bark of a tree
3. bruise, cut, or injure the skin or the surface of
   • The boy skinned his knee when he fell
4. climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling