skinned (skind)

[ In another Yle ben folk that gon upon hire Hondes and hire Feet, as Bestes: and the i ben alle skynned and fedred, and the i wolde lepen als lightly in to Trees, and fro Tree to Tree, as it were Squyrelles or Apes. Mandeville , Travels, p. 206. Oh here they come. They are delicately skinn'd and Brome, Jovial Crew, iii. limb'd. skinner (skin'ér), n. [ We haue sent you a Skinner, furres as you shall cheape or buye. . to vie we and see such Hakluyt's Voyages , I. 298. 2. One who removes the skin, as from animals; a flayer. Then the Hockster immediately mounts, and rides after more game, leaving the other to the skinners , who are at hand, and ready to take off his hide. Dampier , Voyages, an. 1676. 3. One who strips or robs; a plunderer; specifically [ cap.], in U. S. hist., one of a body of skinner marauders during the revolutionary war, profe edly belonging to the American side, who infested the region between the British and American lines in New York, and committed depredations, especially upon the loyalists. [Slang.] This poor opinion of the Skinners was not confined to Mr. Cæsar Thompson. The convenience, and perhaps the nece ities, of the leaders of the American arms in the neighbourhood of New York had induced them to employ certain subordinate agents, of extremely irregular habits, in executing their le er plans of annoying the Cooper , The Spy, i. enemy. There were two sets of these scapegraces - the "Cowboys," or cattle-thieves, and the " Skinners ," who took everything they could find. The Atlantic , LXVI. 511. 4. A bird fat enough to burst the skin on falling to the ground when shot. [Slang.] skinneryt (skin'ér-i), n. [ME. skynnery; skin +-ery.] Skins or furs collectively. To drapery & skynnery euer haue ye a sight. skinnine (skin'i-nes), n. 1. The state of being skinny, or like skin.-2. Leanne ; emaciation. Babees Book (E. E. T. S.), p. 180.