skin
A1Neutral (used across all registers from informal to formal)
Definition
Meaning
The outer protective layer of tissue covering the body of a person or animal.
The outer covering or layer of a fruit, vegetable, sausage, aircraft fuselage, software interface, or drum.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Refers to a physical, countable layer. Can be literal (human skin) or metaphorical (the skin of a fruit, the skin of a problem).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'To skin' (verb) is universal. In computing/UI, 'skin' is standard in both.
Connotations
Equally neutral in both dialects. 'Thick-skinned/thin-skinned' equally common.
Frequency
Equally high-frequency.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
skin + noun (e.g., skin a rabbit)have/get + adjective + skin (e.g., have sensitive skin)verb + skin (e.g., save one's skin)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “by the skin of one's teeth”
- “get under someone's skin”
- “jump out of one's skin”
- “no skin off my nose”
- “skin and bones”
- “skin in the game”
- “thick-skinned”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Metaphor for a superficial layer (e.g., 'We only changed the skin of the website, not the underlying architecture.'). 'Skin in the game' refers to having a personal stake.
Academic
In biology/medicine (anatomy, dermatology). In anthropology (e.g., 'skin colour'). In computer science (GUI skins).
Everyday
Discussing health, appearance, weather effects on skin, cooking (e.g., potato skin).
Technical
In medicine (skin graft, skin lesion). In engineering (aircraft skin). In UI/UX design (application skin/themes).
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The baby has such soft skin.
- He managed to escape by the skin of his teeth.
- Don't forget to put the potato skins in the compost.
American English
- My skin gets really dry in the winter.
- She's thick-skinned and doesn't mind criticism.
- The plane's aluminum skin was dented in the hailstorm.
verb
British English
- He taught me how to skin a rabbit properly.
- I've skinned my knee on the pavement.
American English
- The quarterback was almost skinned alive by the defensive line.
- Can you skin those peaches for the pie?
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Wash your face to keep your skin clean.
- Cats have soft skin under their fur.
- Apple skin is good for you.
- Using sunscreen protects your skin from damage.
- She has sensitive skin and can only use certain products.
- The idiom 'beauty is only skin deep' means looks aren't everything.
- The documentary explored the cultural significance of skin tone.
- Surgeons performed a skin graft to treat the burn victim.
- His constant teasing is starting to get under my skin.
- The artist's work examines the politics of skin as a social boundary.
- The new software allows users to apply custom skins to personalise the interface.
- They developed a synthetic skin that can sense pressure and temperature.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a thin, SKINny layer covering your body. SKIN = Surface Keeping Insides iN.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS A CONTAINER (with skin as the boundary). SURFACES ARE SKINS (e.g., a software skin).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'шкура' (pelt/hide of an animal), which is more specific and less polite for humans. Use 'кожа' for the primary translation. 'Skin' as a verb ('to skin a potato') is 'чистить' or 'снимать кожуру', not a direct cognate.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'skin' as uncountable for one person's skin (e.g., 'She has a beautiful skin' – omit 'a'). Confusing 'skin' with 'peel' (for fruit).
Practice
Quiz
In the context of software, what does 'skin' most likely refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is usually uncountable when referring to the substance or general covering (e.g., 'sun-damaged skin'). It can be countable when referring to types or pieces (e.g., 'animal skins', 'potato skins').
'Skin' is the general term for natural outer coverings of bodies, fruits, and vegetables. 'Peel' is often the skin of fruits/vegetables that is removed (e.g., orange peel, potato peel). 'Rind' is specifically the thick, tough skin of some fruits like melons, citrus, or cheese.
It means having a personal investment, stake, or risk in a venture, ensuring that one's interests are aligned with its success.
Yes. It means 1) to remove the skin from something (e.g., skin a deer), 2) to graze or scrape the skin off a part of the body (e.g., skin your knee), or 3) to completely defeat someone (informal, e.g., 'We skinned them in the match').
Collections
Part of a collection
Body and Health
A1 · 49 words · Parts of the body and basic health vocabulary.