peel

[[t]pi͟ːl[/t]]

peels, peeling, peeled

1) N-UNCOUNT The peel of a fruit such as a lemon or an apple is its skin.

...grated lemon peel.

N-COUNT

You can also refer to a peel. [AM]

...a banana peel.

2) VERB When you peel fruit or vegetables, you remove their skins.

[V n] She sat down in the kitchen and began peeling potatoes.

3) V-ERG If you peel off something that has been sticking to a surface or if it peels off, it comes away from the surface.

[V n off/from n] One of the kids was peeling plaster off the wall...

[V n with off/away] It took me two days to peel off the labels...

[V off/from n] Paint was peeling off the walls...

[V off/away] The wallpaper was peeling away close to the ceiling.

[V-ing] ...an unrenovated bungalow with slightly peeling blue paint.

4) VERB: usu cont If a surface is peeling, the paint on it is coming away.

Its once-elegant white pillars are peeling.

5) VERB: usu cont If you are peeling or if your skin is peeling, small pieces of skin are coming off, usually because you have been burned by the sun.

His face, at the moment, was peeling from sunburn.

6) to keep your eyes peeled → see eye

Phrasal Verbs:

- peel off