# skin

Pronunciation: say "SKIN" /skɪn/

## Noun

1. The outer protective layer covering the body of a human or other animal.
   - Simple: The soft outer layer that covers the body of a person or animal.
   - _Cold weather often leaves her skin dry and cracked._
   - _The doctor examined a patch of skin on his arm._
2. The protective outer covering of a fruit or vegetable.
   - Simple: The thin outer layer that covers a fruit or vegetable.
   - _The tomato's skin split as it ripened in the heat._
   - _Many of the vitamins in an apple sit just beneath the skin._
3. The hide of an individual animal, with or without its fur, removed for use in clothing, upholstery, and similar purposes.
   - Simple: The outer covering taken from an animal, with or without fur, used to make clothes or other things.
   - _The trapper stretched several beaver skins to dry by the fire._
   - _A wolf skin hung across the back of his chair._
4. A set of graphics or other files that changes the appearance of a computer program's interface, or of a character or item in a video game.
   - Simple: A custom look you can put on a computer program or on a character in a video game.
   - _Players can buy a skin to change their avatar's outfit and colors._
   - _The game released several limited-edition skins for the holiday event._
7. A thin congealed layer that forms on the surface of a liquid.
   - Simple: The thin layer that forms on top of milk or paint as it cools or dries.
   - _A skin had formed over the paint left open overnight._
   - _She stirred the gravy to stop a skin from forming._
5. The outer covering or casing that forms the surface of a structure such as an aircraft, ship, rocket, or building.
   - Simple: The outside covering of something built, like a plane, ship, or building.
   - _The aircraft's aluminum skin must withstand huge pressure changes during flight._
   - _Technicians inspect the fuselage skin for fatigue after many flights._
9. Bare human flesh, particularly bare breasts, shown for display. *(slang)*
   - Simple: Bare human flesh shown with little or no clothing on.
   - _The tabloid promised plenty of skin on its cover._
   - _Critics complained the film relied on skin to sell tickets._
12. A person, especially a man; a fellow or chap. *(slang, British, Ireland)*
   - Simple: A person, usually a man.
   - _Everyone in the village agrees that the new priest is a good skin who would help anyone._
   - _She married a decent skin from the next town._
13. Short for skinhead: a member of a youth culture known for shaved or very short hair and heavy boots. *(slang)* — Clipping of skinhead.
   - Simple: Short form of skinhead. Use it as a casual word for a skinhead.
   - _By the early eighties, every skin at the club wore the same boots and suspenders._
   - _A handful of skins drifted past the record shop after the show._
14. A thin sheet of paper used for rolling a cigarette by hand. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A thin paper used to roll a cigarette by hand.
   - _Pass me a skin so I can roll one._
   - _The kiosk sold tobacco, lighters, and packs of skins._
15. A container made from animal hide, used for holding water, wine, or other liquids.
   - Simple: A bag made from animal hide, used to carry water or wine.
   - _The shepherd carried a skin of goat's milk over his shoulder._
   - _They hung skins of wine from the saddle for the long ride._
18. A kinship division within an Australian Aboriginal community that defines relationships and marriage rules among its members. *(Australia)*
   - Simple: A group within an Australian Aboriginal community that sets how people are related and who they can marry.
   - _A person's skin determines their place in the wider family network._
   - _Marriage rules depend on which skin each partner belongs to._

## Verb

6. To remove the skin from an animal, a fruit, or a vegetable, or, rarely, from a person.
   - Simple: To cut or pull the skin off an animal, a fruit, or a vegetable, or sometimes a person.
   - _The trappers skinned the deer they had caught that morning._
   - _Workers skin the carcasses quickly in the processing plant._
8. To scrape or graze the skin of part of the body, causing a minor injury.
   - Simple: To hurt the outer layer of part of your body by scraping it.
   - _She skinned her shin climbing over the fence._
   - _A rope can skin your palms if you slide down too fast._
10. To cover something with skin or a thin skin-like layer, or (of a wound or surface) to become covered with such a layer.
   - Simple: To cover with skin or a thin layer, or to become covered like this, as a healing wound does.
   - _Frost skinned the puddles with a thin sheet of ice by morning._
   - _Builders often skin a wooden frame with thin metal sheets before painting it._
11. To apply a skin to a computer program, changing how its interface looks. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To change the way a computer program looks by adding a special design pack.
   - _Developers skinned the dashboard to fit the company's brand colors._
   - _You can skin the media player with custom themes._
16. To get past an opposing defender using skillful tricks or feints. *(UK)*
   - Simple: To get past a defender in a game by using clever moves.
   - _He skinned the full-back with a quick stepover near the corner flag._
   - _Good wingers skin defenders on the touchline all afternoon._
17. Short form of skin up: to climb a slope on skis or a splitboard fitted with climbing skins, or to push a bicycle uphill. — Short for skin up (“travel uphill on skis, snowboard, or bicycle”)
   - Simple: Short for skin up: to climb using skis or a splitboard with climbing skins, or to push a bike uphill.
   - _We skinned to the ridge at dawn and skied fresh powder all the way down._
   - _Before the lifts open, a few locals skin to the top of the run for exercise._

## Verb

19. To strip someone of their money or property, especially by cheating. *(dated)*
   - Simple: To take all of someone's money by cheating them.
   - _Card sharps would skin unwary travelers in the back rooms of taverns._
   - _He was skinned of his last dollar before he left the saloon._
20. To cheat in an exam or recitation by passing off another's work as one's own or by using forbidden notes. *(archaic, US)*
   - Simple: To cheat in a test by copying or using hidden notes.
22. To slip away quietly and unnoticed; to sneak off. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To leave quietly and quickly so no one notices.

## Noun

21. A purse or small bag used for carrying money. *(obsolete, UK)*
   - Simple: A small bag for carrying money.

## Other meanings

- (verb) To slap another person's raised open hand as a greeting or in celebration.
- (noun) The outer portion of a furled sail that remains on the outside and covers the whole.
- (noun) A serving of whisky served hot.

## Origin

Skin comes from Middle English skyn, from Old English scinn, borrowed from Old Norse skinn ('animal hide'). This traces back through Proto-Germanic to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to split off' or 'to cut'. It partly displaced the native Old English word hȳd (source of 'hide'), and it is related to Latin scindō ('to split') and Sanskrit chinátti ('to split').

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/skin (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).