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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

5 entries under this word

Peel

Peel, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. PEELED; p. pr. & vb. n. PEELING.] [O. Fr. poiler, peiler, peler, Pr., Sp., & Pg. pelar, It. pelare, to pull out the hair, to strip, to peel, from Lat. pĭlāre, to deprive of hair, from pilus, a hair; Fr. piller, Pr. & Pg. pillhar, Sp. pillar, It. pigliare, to pillage, to take, from Lat. pĭlāre, to deprive of hair, to plunder, pillage, or from pilare in compilare, to plunder, pillage.] 1. To strip off the skin, bark, or rind of; to strip by drawing or tearing off the skin; to bark; to flay; to decorticate; as, to peel a tree; to peel an orange. When the knife only is employed, the operation is called paring; as, to pare an apple; to pare land.

  1. To strip or tear, as the skin of an animal, the bark of a tree, &c.;—usually with off.
  2. Hence, to strip; to plunder; to pillage; to bare; to shave; as, to peel a province or conquered people.

But govern ill the nations under yoke, Peeling their provinces. Milton. Whether its territory had a little more or a little less peeled from its surface. Burke.

Peel, v. i.

verbintransitive

To lose the skin, bark, or rind; to come off, as the skin, bark, or rind;—often used with an adverb, as readily, easily, &c.; as, it peels easily.

Peel, n.

noun

[See supra.] The skin or rind of any thing; as, the peel of an orange.

Peel, n.

noun

n. [Fr. pelle, Pr., Sp., It., & Lat. pala.] A kind of wooden shovel, used by bakers, with a broad palm and long handle; hence, any large fire-shovel.

Peel, n.

noun

n. A small tower or fort. W. Scott.