skin v Cp OED ~ v 4 'to flay, peel' for sense 1.
1 To separate the skin of a seal from the attached layer of blubber. Cp PELT v, SCULP v.
[1832] 1981 Them Days vi (3), p. 36 ... the weather still to cold to skin out the seals. [1844] GOSSE 114 He seizes a pelt with his left hand, the fur being downward, then, with a sharp knife, edge outward, he boldly and dexterously cuts between the fat and the skin, the former rolling down in large and long masses, while the latter, though shaved clean, rarely receives a gash. A very expert hand will skin five hundred a day. 1852 ARCHIBALD 5 The first operation after landing and weighing is the ... separating the fat from the skin; this is speedily done, for an expert skinner will skin from 300 to 400 young pelts a day. 1976 Evening Telegram 19 Mar, p. 6 The seals were 'pelted' by the sealers and skinned by seal skinners.
2 Phr skin out: to escape.
T 309-66 An' then we'll say it come to the rooster. He was goin' to have his head chopped off, probably for dinner next day. Well 'twas skin out too, an' join the crowd.
skin up: to roll up (one's sleeves).
1924 ENGLAND 258 Her was sarnly a fine-looking woman. An' couldn't her split fish, dough? When her'd skin up her sleeve, her arm look like de mainmast o' dis one.
