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skin

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Skin is the outer layer of something.

(noun)

An example of a skin is the peel of an onion.

Skin is defined as to remove the outer surface of something.

(verb)

An example of to skin is to remove the fur of an animal.

See skin in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

the outer covering or integument of the animal body
such a covering, esp. that of a small animal, when removed from the body and prepared for use; pelt
something like skin in appearance or function; any outer layer, as fruit rind, the shell or plating of a ship, a film or scum, the outermost nacreous layer in a pearl, etc.
a container made of animal skin, used for holding liquids
☆ Slang a set of drums, esp. in a jazz band
☆ Slang a dollar

Origin: ME skinn < ON, akin to Ger schinden, to flay, peel < IE *(s)ken(d)-, to split off (< base *sek-, to cut: see saw) > OIr ceinn, a scale, scurf

transitive verb skinned, skinning

to cover with or as with skin; grow skin on
to remove skin from
to strip or peel off, as or like skin
to injure by scraping or abrading (one's knee, elbow, etc.)
Informal
1. to defraud or cheat; swindle
2. ☆ to criticize or scold severely
☆ Informal to drive or urge on (a mule, ox, etc.)

intransitive verb

to become covered with skin
Informal to climb (up or down)
to move (through), pass (by), succeed, etc. by a very narrow margin

adjective

Slang depicting or involving nudity and, sometimes, explicit sexual activity: skin magazine

See skin in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

The membranous tissue forming the external covering or integument of an animal and consisting in vertebrates of the epidermis and dermis.
An animal pelt, especially the comparatively pliable pelt of a small or young animal: a tent made of goat skins.
A usually thin, closely adhering outer layer: the skin of a peach; a sausage skin; the skin of an aircraft.
A container for liquids that is made of animal skin.
Music A drumhead.
Informal One's life or physical survival: They lied to save their skins.

verb skinned skinned, skin·ning, skins

verb, transitive

To remove skin from: skinned and gutted the rabbit.
To bruise, cut, or injure the skin or surface of: She skinned her knee.
To remove (an outer covering); peel off: skin off the thin bark.
To cover with or as if with skin: skin the framework of a canoe.
Slang To fleece; swindle.

verb, intransitive

To become covered with or as if with skin: In January the pond skins over with ice.
To pass with little room to spare: We barely skinned by.

adjective
Slang

Of, relating to, or depicting pornography: skin magazines.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old Norse skinn; see sek- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

skinˈless adjective

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skin

cutaway of human skin

A. melanocyte B. muscle C. sebaceous gland D. hair shaft E. epidermis F. dermis G. subcutaneous tissue H. fat I. artery J. sweat gland K. hair follicle L. Pacinian corpuscle

See skin in Ologies

Skin

See also anatomy; body, human; complexion.

achromasia

absence of pigmentation in the skin.

albinism

Medicine. a congenital absence of pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes, ranging in scope from partial to total. Also albinoism. Cf. melanism. —albino, n. —albinotic, adj.

dermabrasion

the surgical process of removing the outer layer of the skin, as for cosmetic purposes in the removal of acne scars, etc.

dermatalgia

neuralgia of the skin.

dermatoglyphics

1. the patterns of ridges of skin on the fingers and palm and the bottoms of the feet.

2. the study dealing with these patterns. —dermatoglyphic, adj.

dermatographism

Medicine. a condition in which lightly touching or scratching the skin causes raised, reddish marks. Also dermatographia, dermographia, dermographism. —dermatographic, adj.

dermatography

Anatomy. a description of the skin. —dermatographic, adj.

dermatology

the branch of medicine that studies the skin and its diseases. —dermatologist, n. —dermatological, adj.

dermatophobia

an abnormal fear of skin disease. Also dermatosiophobia, dermatopathophobia.

dermatoplasty

any form of plastic surgery of the skin, as skin grafts.

dermographism, dermographia

dermatographism.

horripilation

the raising of the hairs on the skin as a response to cold or fear; goose bumps or goose pimples.