a member of any of several British or American groups consisting predominantly of young people who shave their heads; some engage in white supremacist and anti-immigrant activities and this leads to the perception that all skinheads are racist and violent
"The news report highlighted how the media often conflates all skinheads with racism, despite many being non-violent youth who simply share a distinctive shaved-head style."
a bag serving as a container for liquids; it is made from the hide of an animal
"The ancient recipe called for cooking the stew inside a cow skin to keep all the juices sealed in."
The outer protective layer of the body of any animal, including of a human.
"The doctor examined his skin for signs of an allergic reaction after he spent the summer at the beach."
In plain English: Skin is the soft outer layer of tissue that covers and protects your body.
"She applied lotion to her dry skin after coming inside from the cold."
Usage: Use this noun to refer specifically to the flexible tissue covering an animal's or human's body, distinct from hair or scales which grow on top of it. Avoid confusing it with "hide," which typically refers only to thick outer layers removed for leather production after death.
To injure the skin of.
"The thorny branch scratched my arm and left a few red marks where it had broken the surface of my skin."
In plain English: To skin something means to remove its outer covering, like peeling an orange.
"He decided to skin the cat before preparing the stew."
The word "skin" comes from the Old Norse term for animal hide and entered Middle English before partially replacing the original Old English word hȳd, which is the ancestor of modern "hide." Its ultimate root traces back to a Proto-Indo-European concept meaning "to split off," reflecting how hides were originally removed.