~ 1
■ verb
1》 remove the outer covering or skin from (a fruit, vegetable, etc.).
2》 (of a surface) lose parts of its outer layer or covering in small strips or pieces.
↘come off in strips or small pieces.
3》 ( ~ something away/off ) remove a thin outer covering.
↘( ~ something off ) remove an article of clothing.
4》 ( ~ off ) leave a group by veering away.
↘( ~ out ) N. Amer. informal leave quickly.
■ noun
1》 the outer covering or rind of a fruit or vegetable.
2》 an act of exfoliating dead skin in the cosmetic treatment of microdermabrasion.
Derivatives
~able adjective
~ings plural noun
Origin
ME (in the sense 'to plunder'): var. of dialect pill , from L. pilare 'to strip hair from', from pilus 'hair'.
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~ 2
■ noun archaic a shovel, especially a baker's shovel for carrying loaves into or out of an oven.
Origin
ME: from OFr. pele , from L. pala , from the base of pangere 'to fix'.
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~ 3
(also pele or ~ tower )
■ noun a small square defensive tower of a kind built in the 16th century in the border counties of England and Scotland.
Origin
prob. short for synonymous ~-house : ~ from Anglo-Norman Fr. pel 'stake, palisade'.
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~ 4
■ verb Croquet send (another player's ball) through a hoop.
Origin
C19: from the name of Walter H. Peel , founder of the All England Croquet Association.