peel
n. C / Un. the outer skin of a fruit or vegetable. You usually remove it before eating the food inside.
n. the outer skin or rind of a fruit or vegetable. Often used in culinary contexts to refer to the discarded exterior layer.
Throw the orange peel in the trash.
The recipe calls for a thin strip of lemon peel to add flavor to the sauce.
While the flesh of the fruit is sweet, the thick peel contains bitter oils that can overpower a dish if not removed carefully.
Uncountable when referring to the material in general; countable when referring to a specific piece of skin.
I ate an apple peelI ate some apple peelWhen referring to the skin as a substance, it is uncountable; 'an apple peel' suggests one single, complete skin.
- 01
have one foot on a banana peel
To be in an unstable situation with a high risk of sudden negative change, facing difficulty, or appearing foolish.
- 02
peel out
To start abruptly from a standing stop, accelerating rapidly, especially so as to produce skid marks.
- 03
peel the onion
To investigate a matter more deeply, usually step by step, each step leading to a new discovery.