little overtime at an inn near the station, and, by way of grace after meat, gone over the landlord, left him skinned, and the furniture smashed.
1890. Atlantic Monthly, lxvi. 511. There were two sets of these scapegraces—the 'Cow-boys,' or cattle thieves, and the Skinners, who took everything they could find.
1891. M. Advtr., 21 Mar. The prisoner was entrusted with two tons of coal to deliver. Sergeant Hiscock, of the V division, watched his movements, and saw him skinning the sacks—that is, removing lumps from the tops and placing them in an empty sack.
1896. Lillard, Poker Stories, 51. Southern planters used to lose money just like fun, and were skinned right and left.
1902. D. Mail, 17 Nov., 6, 1. What they shudderingly designate a skinner was enjoyed by a majority of the layers when old Fairyfield credited Mr. George Edwardes with the Belper Selling Plate.
2. (thieves').—To shadow (q.v.): spec. when previous to arrest. See Nark.
3. (common).—To strip, to peel (q.v.); and (venery), to retire the prepuce, to skin the live rabbit. Whence skinner (see quot. 1856).
1856. Mayhew, Gt. World of London, 46. Skinners, or women and boys who strip children of their clothes.
1861. Dickens, Great Expectations, xxxi. Skin the stockings off . . . or you'll bust 'em.
1896. Lillard, Poker Stories, 59. I have seen a game player just skin off his watch and ring and studs and play them in.
4. (gaming).—To plant a deck (q.v.): see Concave, Broads, and Reflector.
5. (common).—To abate a price; to lower a value: cf. shaving the ladies (s.v. shave).
6. (common).—To thrash: also to skin alive.
1888. Detroit Free Press, 22 Dec. 'If yer don't stop your guzzum I'll skin yer alive'. . . . She flourished a skillet at him.
1895. Idler, Aug., 63. I'm sure that her parents would skin her, If they thought that she smiled on my suit.
1902. Headon Hill, Caged, xxxiv. I'd have skinned the 'ussy if I'd caught her prying into my grounds.
Other Colloquialisms and Phrases.—By the skin of one's teeth = a narrow escape, the closest of close shaves; to skin out = to decamp; to skin the cat (gynmasts') = to grasp the bar with both hands, raise the feet, and so draw the body, between the arms, over the bar; like eels, used to skinning = of good heart; to skin the eyes (see Keep); all skin and whipcord = well-trussed; in good condition; in (or with) a whole skin = uninjured, with impunity; to save one's skin = to escape unhurt: see Bacon; to skin a flint (see skin-*flint); honest as the skin between his brows (or horns): see Brow; to skin a razor = to drive a hard-and-fast bargain; to skin one's skunk = to do one's own dirty work; in a bad skin = angry (Grose); clean-skin (Australian) = an unbranded beast; cf. Maverick; to leap (or jump) out of one's skin = to be startled or pleased; in her or his) skin = evasive as to a person's whereabouts.
16[?]. Marq. of Huntley's Retreat [Child, Ballads, vii. 271]. He had resolved that day To sleep in a whole skin.
1605. Marston, Dutch Courtezan, iii. 1. Blesse me, I was never so out of my skinne in my life.
1611. Bible, 'Authorised Version,' Job xix. 20. I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
