(~s)
1.
Your ~ is the framework of bones in your body.
...a human ~.
N-COUNT
2.
A ~ staff is the smallest number of staff necessary in order to run an organization or service.
Only a ~ staff remains to show anyone interested around the site.
ADJ: ADJ n
3.
The ~ of something such as a building or a plan is its basic framework.
Only ~s of buildings remained.
N-COUNT: usu N of n
4.
If you say that someone has a ~ in the closet, or in British English a ~ in the cupboard, you mean that they are keeping secret a bad or embarrassing fact about themselves.
Mr Worthing is this election’s Mr Nice Guy, without any ~s in his cupboard.
PHRASE: Ns inflect