n. [ Icel. skinn; akin to Sw. skinn, Dan. skind, AS. scinn, G. schined to skin. ] 1. (Anat.) The external membranous integument of an animal. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In man, and the vertebrates generally, the skin consist of two layers, an outer nonsensitive and nonvascular epidermis, cuticle, or skarfskin, composed of cells which are constantly growing and multiplying in the deeper, and being thrown off in the superficial, layers; and an inner sensitive, and vascular dermis, cutis, corium, or true skin, composed mostly of connective tissue. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The hide of an animal, separated from the body, whether green, dry, or tanned; especially, that of a small animal, as a calf, sheep, or goat. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A vessel made of skin, used for holding liquids. See Bottle, 1. “Skins of wine.” Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The bark or husk of a plant or fruit; the exterior coat of fruits and plants. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Naut.) (a) That part of a sail, when furled, which remains on the outside and covers the whole. Totten. (b) The covering, as of planking or iron plates, outside the framing, forming the sides and bottom of a vessel; the shell; also, a lining inside the framing. [ 1913 Webster ]

Skin friction,
Skin resistance (Naut.), the friction, or resistance, caused by the tendency of water to adhere to the immersed surface (skin) of a vessel. --
Skin graft (Surg.), a small portion of skin used in the process of grafting. See Graft, v. t., 2. --
Skin moth (Zool.), any insect which destroys the prepared skins of animals, especially the larva of Dermestes and Anthrenus. --
Skin of the teeth, nothing, or next to nothing; the least possible hold or advantage. Job xix. 20. --
Skin wool, wool taken from dead sheep. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To become covered with skin; as, a wound skins over. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To produce, in recitation, examination, etc., the work of another for one's own, or to use in such exercise cribs, memeoranda, etc., which are prohibited. [ College Cant, U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Skinned p. pr. & vb. n. Skinning. ] 1. To strip off the skin or hide of; to flay; to peel; as, to skin an animal. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cover with skin, or as with skin; hence, to cover superficially. [ 1913 Webster ]

It will but skin and film the ulcerous place. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To strip of money or property; to cheat. [ Slang ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having the skin adhering closely and rigidly to the flesh; hidebound. [ 1913 Webster ]

Skinbound disease. (Med.) See Sclerema neonatorum, under Sclerema. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. [ imp. & p. p. Skinched p. pr. & vb. n. Skinching. ] [ Cf. Scant. ] To give scant measure; to squeeze or pinch in order to effect a saving. [ Prev. Eng. & Colloq. U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not deeper than the skin; hence, superficial. Lowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Skin + flint. ] A penurious person; a miser; a niggard. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Skinfuls As much as a skin can hold. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. scincus, Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_;. ] [ Written also scink. ] (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of regularly scaled harmless lizards of the family Scincidae, common in the warmer parts of all the continents. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The officinal skink (Scincus officinalis) inhabits the sandy plains of South Africa. It was believed by the ancients to be a specific for various diseases. A common slender species (Seps tridactylus) of Southern Europe was formerly believed to produce fatal diseases in cattle by mere contact. The American skinks include numerous species of the genus Eumeces, as the blue-tailed skink (Eumeces fasciatus) of the Eastern United States. The ground skink, or ground lizard (Oligosoma laterale) inhabits the Southern United States. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Skinked p. pr. & vb. n. Skinking. ] [ Icel. skenja; akin to Sw. skäka, Dan. skienke, AS. scencan, D. & G. schenken. As. scencan is usually derived from sceonc, sceanc, shank, a hollow bone being supposed to have been used to draw off liquor from a cask. √161. See Shank, and cf. Nunchion. ] To draw or serve, as drink. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Bacchus the wine them skinketh all about. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such wine as Ganymede doth skink to Jove. Shirley. [ 1913 Webster ]