skin
/skin/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
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.
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
- a bag serving as a container for liquids; it is made from the hide of an animal
- the rind of a fruit or vegetable
- a person's skin regarded as their life
- he tried to save his skin
- body covering of a living animal
- an outer surface (usually thin)
- the skin of an airplane
- a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch
- your skin is the largest organ of your body
Verb
- strip the skin off
- pare apples
- remove the bark of a tree
- bruise, cut, or injure the skin or the surface of
- The boy skinned his knee when he fell
- climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling