skin

I. noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse skinn; akin to Old English scinn skin, Middle High German schint fruit peel Date: 13th century 1. a. (1) the integument of an animal (as a fur-bearing mammal or a bird) separated from the body usually with its hair or feathers (2) a usually unmounted specimen of a vertebrate (as in a museum) b. the hide or pelt of a game or domestic animal c. (1) the pelt of an animal prepared for use as a trimming or in a garment — compare hide IV (2) a sheet of parchment or vellum made from a hide (3) bottle 1b 2. a. the external limiting tissue layer of an animal body; especially the 2-layered covering of a vertebrate body consisting of an outer epidermis and an inner dermis b. an outer covering (as a rind or husk) of a fruit or seed c. a membranous film or scum (as on boiling milk or drying paint) 3. the life or physical well-being of a person <

saved his own skin

> 4. a sheathing or casing forming the outside surface of a structure (as a ship or airplane) • skinless adjective II. verb (skinned; skinning) Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. a. to strip, scrape, or rub off an outer covering (as the skin or rind) of b. to strip or peel off c. to cut, chip, or damage the surface of <

fell and skinned my knee

> 2. a. to cover with or as if with skin b. to heal over with skin 3. a. to strip of money or property ; fleece b. to defeat badly c. censure, castigate 4. to urge on and direct the course of (as a draft animal) intransitive verb 1. to become covered with or as if with skin 2. a. shinny b. to pass or get by with scant room to spare III. adjective Date: circa 1935 involving subjects who are nude <

expected to conduct skin searches for weapons — Diane K. Shah

>; especially devoted to showing nudes <

skin magazines

>