- skin
- [[t]skɪ̱n[/t]]
♦♦skins, skinning, skinned1) N-VAR Your skin is the natural covering of your body.
His skin is clear and smooth...
There are three major types of skin cancer...
The only difference between us is the colour of our skins.
2) N-VAR: usu supp N An animal skin is skin which has been removed from a dead animal. Skins are used to make things such as coats and rugs.That was real crocodile skin.
...a leopard skin coat.
Syn:3) N-VAR The skin of a fruit or vegetable is its outer layer or covering.The outer skin of the orange is called the `zest'.
...banana skins.
4) N-SING If a skin forms on the surface of a liquid, a thin, fairly solid layer forms on it.Stir the custard occasionally to prevent a skin forming.
5) VERB If you skin a dead animal, you remove its skin.[V n] ...with the expertise of a chef skinning a rabbit.
6) → See also , banana skin7) PHRASE: V and N inflect If something makes you jump out of your skin, it surprises or shocks you very much.He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw two rats.
8) PHRASE: V and N inflect If you try to save your own skin or save your skin, you try to save yourself from something dangerous or unpleasant.He'd have done anything to anybody to save his own skin.
He won, but only by the skin of his teeth.
10) PHRASE: N inflects, usu v PHR If you say that someone has a thick skin, you mean that they are able to listen to criticism about themselves without becoming offended.You need a thick skin to be a headmaster.
English dictionary. 2008.
