Definition

Noun (informal, slang): * Confidential or inside information; the true, often secret, facts about a situation or person.

Usage

This word is used exclusively as a singular noun, typically preceded by the definite article "the." It refers to privileged knowledge that is not publicly known. It often implies that the information is valuable, exclusive, or gossipy.

Examples

• Getting the information: "I need to get the skinny on the new manager before the meeting."
• Having the information: "She has the skinny on why the project was really canceled."
• Sharing the information: "So, give me the skinny. What happened at the party last night?"

Advanced Usage

• "to have the skinny on (someone/something)": To possess the latest or most accurate inside information about a specific subject.
  • Our reporter has the skinny on the upcoming merger talks.

Variants and Related Words

• Skinny (adjective): Having little flesh or fat on the body; thin. (This is the standard, non-slang meaning and is unrelated to the noun phrase "the skinny.")
  • He is tall and skinny.

Synonyms

• The lowdown
• The inside story
• The scoop
• The dope (slang)
• The straight dope (slang)

Related Idioms

• "Spill the beans": To reveal secret information. (This is a verb phrase meaning to divulge, whereas "the skinny" is the information itself.)
  • Come on, spill the beans! I want the skinny.

Noun

1. slang terms for inside information
   • is that the straight dope?