Definition of "peel" in English

verb

1. (transitive) To remove the skin or outer covering of.

   • I sat by my sister's bed, peeling oranges for her.

2. (transitive) To remove something from the outer or top layer of.

   • I peeled (the skin from) a banana and ate it hungrily.
   • We peeled the old wallpaper off in strips where it was hanging loose.

3. (intransitive) To become detached, come away, especially in flakes or strips; to shed skin in such a way.

   • I had been out in the sun too long, and my nose was starting to peel.

4. (intransitive) To remove one's clothing.

   • The children peeled by the side of the lake and jumped in.

5. (intransitive) To move, separate (off or away).

   • The scrum-half peeled off and made for the touchlines.

noun

1. (usually uncountable) The skin or outer layer of a fruit, vegetable, etc.

2. (countable, rugby) The action of peeling away from a formation.

3. (countable) A cosmetic preparation designed to remove dead skin or to exfoliate.

noun

1. (obsolete) A stake.

2. (obsolete) A fence made of stakes; a stockade.

3. (archaic) A small tower, fort, or castle; a keep.

noun

1. A shovel or similar instrument, now especially a pole with a flat disc at the end used for removing pizza or loaves of bread from a baker's oven.

   • Near-synonym: pizza paddle

2. A T-shaped implement used by printers and bookbinders for hanging wet sheets of paper on lines or poles to dry.

3. (archaic, US) The blade of an oar.

noun

1. (Scotland, curling) An equal or match; a draw.

2. (curling) A takeout which removes a stone from play as well as the delivered stone.

verb

1. (curling) To play a peel shot.

verb

1. (croquet) To send through a hoop (of a ball other than one's own).

verb

1. (archaic, transitive) To plunder; to pillage, rob.

noun

1. Alternative form of peal (“a small or young salmon”).

verb