Peeling: meaning, definitions and examples

This is commonly used when talking about removing the outer layer of fruits or vegetables. It can also refer to paint or wallpaper coming off a surface.

• She spent the afternoon peeling apples for the pie
• The paint is peeling off the walls

This is usually used when removing the entire skin of an animal or sometimes for fruits and vegetables. It has a more literal and specific meaning compared to 'peeling'.

• They were skinning the fish before cooking it
• He skinned the rabbit for their dinner

This often means trimming or cutting away the outer edges or surface, usually to make something smaller or neater. It is most commonly used in relation to fruits and vegetables.

• He was carefully paring the apple to make sure he didn't waste any good parts
• She pared the cucumber before adding it to the salad

This can refer to removing a layer or covering from something. It is used in a wide range of situations including paint, wallpaper, insulation, and even clothing. It may carry a negative connotation if referring to removing something forcefully.

• They spent the weekend stripping the old wallpaper
• She stripped the bed sheets to wash them

Used when something is coming off in thin layers, typically about skin, paint, or fruit/vegetable skins.

• The paint was peeling off the walls
• I spent an hour peeling potatoes

Describes small, thin pieces coming off, often in reference to substances like paint, snowfall, or skin.

• The snow began to fall in large flakes
• The old paint had started to flake off

Refers to a small piece breaking off from a larger object, often used with ceramics, glass, or wood. Sometimes also used in the context of damaged teeth.

• There was a chip in the edge of the ceramic plate
• He had a small chip on his front tooth after the accident

Used in two ways: either describing the removal of thin layers, like fish scales, or referring to the flaky residue itself which can have a negative connotation related to cleanliness or health issues.

• She scaled the fish with a knife
• His scalp was covered in dry scales

As the same word is repeated, it would have the same meanings and contexts.

• She spent the morning peeling apples for pie.
• After the sunburn, his skin started peeling.

Used when small, thin pieces are coming off, often associated with paint, skin, or dandruff.

• The old paint was flaking off the walls.
• He noticed his skin flaking due to dryness in the winter.

Usually used when something naturally falls off, like hair, animal fur, or old skin cells. Can be used figuratively to describe getting rid of something unnecessary or unwanted.

• The dog is shedding its winter coat.
• He is shedding old habits and adopting new ones.

Used to describe the process of an outer layer being shed or removed, often in a biological or medical context. It can also imply the removal of something dead or unwanted.

• The snake is sloughing its old skin.
• The doctor explained the process of sloughing dead tissue from the wound.