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Definition of skin noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

skin

noun
 
 
/skɪn/
 
/skɪn/
Idioms
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    on body

  1.  
     [uncountable, countable] the layer of tissue that covers the body
    • to have dark/pale skin
    • skin cancer
    • She said she was treated unfairly because of the colour of her skin.
    • skin colour/tone
    • to have brown/fair/olive skin
    • to have dry/oily skin
    • cosmetics for sensitive skins
    • The snake sheds its skin once a year.
    • They were both soaked to the skin and shivering from cold.
    • He could feel the sun on his skin.
    • the wrinkled skin of his face
    • dead skin cells
    • to have a skin test
    Collocations Physical appearancePhysical appearance
    • A person may be described as having:
    Eyes
    • (bright) blue/​green/(dark/​light) brown/​hazel eyes
    • deep-set/​sunken/​bulging/​protruding eyes
    • small/​beady/​sparkling/​twinkling/(informal) shifty eyes
    • piercing/​penetrating/​steely eyes
    • bloodshot/​watery/​puffy eyes
    • bushy/​thick/​dark/​arched eyebrows
    • long/​dark/​thick/​curly/​false eyelashes/​lashes
    Face
    • a flat/​bulbous/​pointed/​sharp/​snub nose
    • a straight/​crooked/​a Roman/(formal) an aquiline nose
    • full/​thick/​thin/​pouty lips
    • dry/​chapped/​cracked lips
    • flushed/​rosy/​red/​ruddy/​pale cheeks
    • soft/​chubby/​sunken cheeks
    • white/​perfect/​crooked/​protruding teeth
    • a large/​high/​broad/​wide/​sloping forehead
    • a strong/​weak/​pointed/​double chin
    • a long/​full/​bushy/​wispy/​goatee beard
    • a long/​thin/​bushy/​droopy/​handlebar/​pencil moustache
    Hair and skin
    • pale/​fair/​olive/​dark/​tanned skin
    • dry/​oily/​smooth/​rough/​leathery/​wrinkled skin
    • a dark/​pale/​light/​sallow/​ruddy/​olive/​swarthy/​clear complexion
    • deep/​fine/​little/​facial wrinkles
    • blonde/​blond/​fair/(light/​dark) brown/(jet-)black/​auburn/​red/(British English) ginger/​grey hair
    • straight/​curly/​wavy/​frizzy/​spiky hair
    • thick/​thin/​fine/​bushy/​thinning hair
    • dyed/​bleached/​soft/​silky/​dry/​greasy/​shiny hair
    • long/​short/​shoulder-length/​cropped hair
    • a bald/​balding/​shaved head
    • a receding hairline
    • a bald patch/​spot
    • a side/​centre(British English) parting
    Body
    • a long/​short/​thick/​slender/(disapproving) scrawny neck
    • broad/​narrow/​sloping/​rounded/​hunched shoulders
    • a bare/​broad/​muscular/​small/​large chest
    • a flat/​swollen/​bulging stomach
    • a small/​tiny/​narrow/​slim/​slender/28-inch waist
    • big/​wide/​narrow/​slim hips
    • a straight/​bent/​arched/​broad/​hairy back
    • thin/​slender/​muscular arms
    • big/​large/​small/​manicured/​calloused/​gloved hands
    • long/​short/​fat/​slender/​delicate/​bony fingers
    • long/​muscular/​hairy/​shapely/(both informal, often disapproving) skinny/​spindly legs
    • muscular/​chubby/(informal, disapproving) flabby thighs
    • big/​little/​small/​dainty/​wide/​narrow/​bare feet
    • a good/​slim/​slender figure
    • be of slim/​medium/​average/​large/​athletic/​stocky build
    see also foreskin
    Extra Examples
    • A network of veins showed through his skin.
    • Beneath his skin, the muscles were tight with tension.
    • Her skin was glistening with sweat after her run.
    • I examined the puffy skin under my eyes.
    • Jenny is small and slender with porcelain skin.
    • Smoking undoubtedly ages the skin.
    • The sheets felt nice next to his bare skin.
    • There was a patch of raw skin on my back where the sun had burned it.
    • Avoid skin contact with the glue.
    • I picked up the kitten by the loose skin on its neck.
    • The skin on your feet may get dry and cracked.
    • Some poisons can be absorbed through the skin.
    • The oil is diluted and rubbed into the skin.
    Topics Bodya2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • beautiful
    • clear
    • fine
    • …
    verb + skin
    • break
    • burn
    • damage
    • …
    skin + verb
    • glisten
    • glow
    • age
    • …
    skin + noun
    • allergy
    • burns
    • cancer
    • …
    preposition
    • against the/​your skin
    • beneath the/​your skin
    • on the/​your skin
    • …
    phrases
    • skin and bone
    • skin and bones
    See full entry
    2.

    -skinned

  2. (in adjectives) having the type of skin mentioned
    • dark-skinned
    • fair-skinned
    see also thick-skinned, thin-skinned
    More Like This Compound adjectives for physical characteristicsCompound adjectives for physical characteristics
    Topics Appearancea2

    3. of dead animal

  3.  
     [countable, uncountable] (often in compounds) the skin of a dead animal with or without its fur, used for making leather, etc.
    • The skins are removed and laid out to dry.
    • animal skins
    • a tiger-skin rug
    • skin of something They would wear the skins of animals they had killed.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • animal
    • crocodile
    • goat
    • …
    verb + skin
    • cure
    • tan
    See full entry
    4.

    of fruit/vegetables

  4.  
     [countable, uncountable] the outer layer of some fruits and vegetables
    • Remove the skins by soaking the tomatoes in hot water.
    • a chemical found in the skin of grapes
    compare peel, rind, zest see also banana skinTopics Fooda2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • banana
    • onion
    • potato
    • …
    verb + skin
    • peel off
    • remove
    See full entry
    5.

    of sausage

  5. [countable, uncountable] the thin outer layer of a sausage
    • Prick the skins before grilling.
    6.

    on liquids

  6. [countable, uncountable] the thin layer that forms on the surface of some liquids, especially when they become cold after being heated
    • A skin had formed on the top of the milk.
    • She skimmed the skin off the cocoa.
    7.

    outside layer

  7. [countable] a layer that covers the outside of something
    • the outer skin of the earth
    • the metal skin of the aircraft
  8. (also wrap)
     [countable] a special cover for any small electronic device that you can carry with you
    • Do phone skins protect your phone?
    • You can create your own custom skin for your iPod.
    • The skin has a clear protective layer.
    Topics Phones, email and the internetc2

    9. in a computer program

  9. [countable] (computing) the interface of a computer program (= the way a computer program presents information on screen), that the user can change as they wish Topics Computersc2
    10. Word Originlate Old English scinn, from Old Norse skinn; related to Dutch schinden ‘flay, peel’ and German schinden.
Idioms
by the skin of your teeth
  1. (informal) if you do something by the skin of your teeth, you only just manage to do it
    • He escaped defeat by the skin of his teeth.
get under somebody’s skin
  1. (informal) to annoy somebody
    • Don't let him get under your skin.
have got somebody under your skin
  1. (informal) to be extremely attracted to somebody
it’s no skin off my, your, his, etc. nose
  1. (informal) used to say that somebody is not upset or annoyed about something because it does not affect them in a bad way
jump out of your skin
  1. (informal) to move violently because of a sudden shock
    • She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw me.
make your skin crawl
  1. to make you feel afraid or full of horror
    • Just the sight of him makes my skin crawl.
    Topics Feelingsc2
save your (own) skin/hide/neck
  1. to try to avoid death, punishment, etc., especially by leaving others in an extremely difficult situation
    • To save his own skin, he lied and blamed the accident on his friend.
(nothing but/all/only) skin and bone
  1. (informal) extremely thin in a way that is not attractive or healthy
    • The dog lost more and more weight, and was soon little more than skin and bone.
    • He's all skin and bone after his illness.
(have) skin in the game
  1. (North American English, informal) (to have) a personal interest in an organization or activity, and therefore in its success
    • When management and unions sit down at the negotiating table, both sides have skin in the game.
    • The neutral fan with no skin in the game can just sit back and enjoy the spectacle.
a thick skin
  1. the ability to accept criticism, offensive remarks, etc. without becoming upset opposite a thin skin see also thick-skinned
a thin skin
  1. the lack of ability to accept criticism, offensive remarks, etc. without becoming upset
    • You shouldn’t be in politics if you have such a thin skin.
    opposite a thick skin see also thin-skinned
See skin in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee skin in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: skin

Nearby words

trait
noun
 
 
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