n. & v.
--n.
1. the flexible continuous covering of a human or other animal body.
2 a the skin of a flayed animal with or without the hair etc. b a material prepared from skins esp. of smaller animals (opp. HIDE(2)).
3 a person's skin with reference to its colour or complexion (has a fair skin).
4 an outer layer or covering, esp. the coating of a plant, fruit, or sausage.
5 a film like skin on the surface of a liquid etc.
6 a container for liquid, made of an animal's whole skin.
7 a the planking or plating of a ship or boat, inside or outside the ribs. b the outer covering of any craft or vehicle, esp. an aircraft or spacecraft.
8 Brit. sl. a skinhead.
9 US Cards a game in which each player has one card which he bets will not be the first to be matched by a card dealt from the pack.
10 gold-beater's skin.
11 a duplicating stencil.
--v. (skinned, skinning)
1. tr. remove the skin from.
2 (often foll. by over) a tr. cover (a sore etc.) with or as with skin. b intr. (of a wound etc.) become covered with new skin.
3 tr. sl. fleece or swindle.
Phrases and idioms:
be skin and bone be very thin. by (or with) the skin of one's teeth by a very narrow margin. change one's skin undergo an impossible change of character etc. get under a person's skin colloq. interest or annoy a person intensely. have a thick (or thin) skin be insensitive (or sensitive) to criticism etc. no skin off one's nose colloq. a matter of indifference or even benefit to one. skin-deep (of a wound, or of an emotion, an impression, beauty, etc.) superficial, not deep or lasting. skin-diver a person who swims underwater without a diving-suit, usu. in deep water with an aqualung and flippers. skin-diving such swimming. skin effect Electr. the tendency of a high-frequency alternating current to flow through the outer layer only of a conductor. skin-flick sl. an explicitly pornographic film. skin-food a cosmetic intended to improve the condition of the skin. skin friction friction at the surface of a solid and a fluid in relative motion. skin game US sl. a swindling game. skin-graft
1. the surgical transplanting of skin.
2 a piece of skin transferred in this way. skin test a test to determine whether an immune reaction is elicited when a substance is applied to or injected into the skin. skin-tight (of a garment) very close-fitting. to the skin through all one's clothing (soaked to the skin). with a whole skin unwounded.
Derivatives:
skinless adj. skin-like adj. skinned adj. (also in comb.).
Etymology: OE scin(n) f. ON skinn