skin: Meaning and Definition of

skin

Pronunciation: (skin), [key]
— n., v., adj. skinned, skin•ning,
—n.
  1. the external covering or integument of an animal body, esp. when soft and flexible.
  2. such an integument stripped from the body of an animal, esp. a small animal; pelt: a beaver skin.
  3. the tanned or treated pelt or hide of an animal, esp. when used in apparel and accessories; leather (usually used in combination): pigskin; calfskin.
  4. any integumentary covering, casing, outer coating, or surface layer, as an investing membrane, the rind or peel of fruit, or a film on liquid: a skin of thin ice; the aluminum skin of an airplane.
    1. the outermost layer of a pearl.
    2. the outermost layer of a diamond as found: often different in color and refraction from the inner part of the stone.
    1. the shell or ceiling of a hull.
    2. the outer, exposed part of a furled sail.
  5. an outer layer of a metal piece having characteristics differing from those of the interior.
  6. a container made of animal skin, used for holding liquids, esp. wine.
  7. condom.
  8. drums.
  9. a swindler; cheat.
  10. a skinflint.
  11. a horse.
  12. a dollar bill.
  13. the outer surface of a missile or rocket.
  14. by an extremely narrow margin; just barely; scarcely: We made the last train by the skin of our teeth.
  15. His laugh really gets under my skin.
    1. to irritate; bother:His laugh really gets under my skin.
    2. to affect deeply; impress; penetrate:That sort of music always gets under my skin.
  16. to be insensitive to criticism or rebuffs: The complaint desk is a job for someone who has a thick skin.
  17. to be extremely sensitive to criticism or rebuffs; be easily offended: Be careful what you say to me, I have a thin skin.
  18. without harm; unscathed; safely: She escaped from the burning building with a whole skin.
  19. of no interest or concern or involving no risk to one.
  20. to avoid harm, esp. to escape death: They betrayed their country to save their skins.
  21. in essence; fundamentally; despite appearances or differences: sisters under the skin.
—v.t.
  1. to strip or deprive of skin; flay; peel; husk.
  2. to remove or strip off (any covering, outer coating, surface layer, etc.).
  3. to scrape or rub a small piece of skin from (one's hand, leg, etc.), as in falling or sliding against something: She skinned her knee.
  4. to urge on, drive, or whip (a draft animal, as a mule or ox).
  5. to climb or jump: He skinned the rope to the top of the wall.
  6. to cover with or as if with skin.
  7. to strip of money or belongings; fleece, as in gambling.
  8. to slide cards one at a time off the top of (the pack) in dealing.
  9. to defeat completely: skinned at the polls.
  10. to castigate; reprimand: skinned for his disobedience.
—v.i.
  1. to slip off or depart hurriedly (often followed by out).
  2. The home team was skinned alive this afternoon.
    1. to reprimand; scold.
    2. to subdue completely, esp. in a cruel or ruthless manner:The home team was skinned alive this afternoon.
—adj.
  1. a skin magazine.
    1. Slang.showing or featuring nude persons, often in a sexually explicit way:a skin magazine.
    2. presenting films, stage shows, exhibitions, etc., that feature nude persons, esp. in a sexually explicit way:a Times Square skin house.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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