peel1

[peel] /pil/
verb (used with object)
1.
to strip (something) of its skin, rind, bark, etc.:
to peel an orange.
2.
to strip (the skin, rind, bark, paint, etc.) from something:
to peel paint from a car.
3.
Croquet. to cause (another player's ball) to go through a wicket.
verb (used without object)
4.
(of skin, bark, paint, etc.) to come off; become separated.
5.
to lose the skin, rind, bark, paint, etc.
6.
Informal. to undress.
7.
Metallurgy. (of a malleable iron casting) to lose, or tend to lose, the outer layer.
noun
8.
the skin or rind of a fruit, vegetable, etc.
9.
Metallurgy. the presence of a brittle outer layer on a malleable iron casting.
Verb phrases
10.
peel off,
  1. to remove (the skin, bark, etc.) or be removed:
    The old skin peeled off.
  2. Aeronautics. to leave a flying formation of aircraft with a banking turn, usually from one end of an echelon.
  3. Informal. to turn off or leave (a road):
    We peeled off the highway onto a dirt road.
  4. to remove (clothing) in a swift upward or downward motion.
Idioms
11.
keep one's eyes peeled, Informal. to watch closely or carefully; be alert:
Keep your eyes peeled for a gas station.
Origin
before 1100; Middle English pelen, Old English pilian to strip, skin < Latin pilāre to remove hair, derivative of pilus hair. See pill2
Related forms
peelable, adjective
unpeelable, adjective
unpeeled, adjective
Synonyms
1. Peel, pare agree in meaning to remove the skin or rind from something. Peel means to pull or strip off the natural external covering or protection of something: to peel an orange, a potato. Pare is used of trimming off chips, flakes, or superficial parts from something, as well as of cutting off the skin or rind: to pare the nails; to pare a potato.

peel2

[peel] /pil/
noun
1.
a shovellike implement for putting bread, pies, etc., into the oven or taking them out.
2.
Metallurgy. a long, shovellike iron tool for charging an open-hearth furnace.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English pele < Middle French < Latin pāla spade. See palette

peel3

[peel] /pil/
noun
1.
a small fortified tower for residence or for use during an attack, common in the border counties of England and Scotland in the 16th century.
Also, pele.
Origin
1250-1300; Middle English pele fortress < Anglo-French pel stockade, Middle French pel stake < Latin pālus stake. See pale2

Peel

[peel] /pil/
noun
1.
Sir Robert, 1788–1850, British political leader: founder of the London constabulary; prime minister 1834–35; 1841–46.
2.
a seaport on W Isle of Man: castle; resort.
3.
a river in N Yukon Territory and NW Northwest Territories, Canada, flowing E and N to the Mackenzie River. 425 miles (684 km) long.
Examples from the web for peel
  • peel off the rough brown skin and eat the white flesh raw or cooked add to my plant list.
  • peel an outer leaf off from the junction where it connects to the stem.
  • Use your fingers to lift skin away from tube, then peel off and discard.
  • The nuts then have to be cooked to loosen the peel and to make it easier to peel off the thin skin.
  • Using a sharp knife, peel away the fibrous skin of the broccoli and then cut the pale inside trunk into matchstick-size batons.
  • Remove, and when cool enough to handle, peel the skin.
  • We've left the skin on these potatoes for a rustic look and texture, but feel free to peel them if you prefer.
  • In the case of one plant, the chimps have to first peel away an outer covering that is lethally toxic.
  • Transfer tongue to a cutting board with tongs and peel off and discard skin and any visible fat.
  • peel is a practising physician and national expert on medical privacy.
British Dictionary definitions for peel

peel1

/piːl/
verb
1.
(transitive) to remove (the skin, rind, outer covering, etc) of (a fruit, egg, etc)
2.
(intransitive) (of paint, etc) to be removed from a surface, esp through weathering
3.
(intransitive) (of a surface) to lose its outer covering of paint, etc esp through weathering
4.
(intransitive) (of a person or part of the body) to shed skin in flakes or (of skin) to be shed in flakes, esp as a result of sunburn
5.
(croquet) to put (another player's ball) through a hoop or hoops
6.
keep one's eyes peeled, keep one's eyes skinned, to watch vigilantly
noun
7.
the skin or rind of a fruit, etc
See also peel off
Word Origin
Old English pilian to strip off the outer layer, from Latin pilāre to make bald, from pilus a hair

peel2

/piːl/
noun
1.
a long-handled shovel used by bakers for moving bread, in an oven
Word Origin
C14 pele, from Old French, from Latin pāla spade, from pangere to drive in; see palette

peel3

/piːl/
noun
1.
(in Britain) a fortified tower of the 16th century on the borders between England and Scotland, built to withstand raids
Word Origin
C14 (fence made of stakes): from Old French piel stake, from Latin pālus; see pale², paling

Peel

/piːl/
noun
1.
John, real name John Robert Parker Ravenscroft. 1939–2004, British broadcaster; presented his influential Radio 1 music programme (1967–2004) and Radio 4's Home Truths (1998–2004)
2.
Sir Robert. 1788–1850, British statesman; Conservative prime minister (1834–35; 1841–46). As Home Secretary (1828–30) he founded the Metropolitan Police and in his second ministry carried through a series of free-trade budgets culminating in the repeal of the Corn Laws (1846), which split the Tory party
Derived Forms
Peelite, noun
Contemporary definitions for peel
noun

See baker's peel

Word Origin and History for peel
v.

"to strip off," developed from Old English pilian "to peel, skin, decorticate, strip the skin or ring," and Old French pillier, both from Latin pilare "to strip of hair," from pilus "hair" (see pile (n.3)). Probably also influenced by Latin pellis "skin, hide." Related: Peeled; peeling. Figurative expression keep (one's) eyes peeled be observant, be on the alert" is from 1853, American English.

n.

piece of rind or skin, 1580s, from earlier pill, pile (late 14c.), from peel (v.)).

"shovel-shaped instrument" used by bakers, etc., c.1400, from Old French pele (Modern French pelle) "shovel," from Latin pala "spade, shovel, baker's peel," of unknown origin.

Slang definitions & phrases for peel

peel

verb
  1. To undress; strip (1785+)
  2. peel out (1950s+ Hot rodders)
  3. : Many of the young people describe stealing a vehicle as ''peeling it'' (1980s+ Street talk)

peel in Technology


Used to implement version of Emacs on PRIME computers.

Idioms and Phrases with peel

peel

In addition to the idiom beginning with peel also see: keep one's eyes open (peeled)