> as lemmas

1534 N. Udall Floures for Latine Spekynge gathered oute of Terence f. 170 I am a conquerour yf I may depart or escape with a hole skynne [L. latere tecto abscedere].

1543 T. Becon Invect. against Swearing Pref. f. iii^v It is good sleapyng in an whole skynne.

1596 T. Nashe Haue with you to Saffron-Walden sig. M3^v The foole is crafty inough to sleepe in a whole skin.

1600 P. Holland tr. Livy Rom. Hist. xxxii. xxi. 823 b To enter into no armes at all, to sit still and sleepe in a hole skin.

c1643 N. Boteler Dialogues (1929) (modernized text) 38 They propound it to themselves as the safer course to receive their pay in a whole skin.

1644 S. Rutherford Serm. House of Commons 47 Some sell Religion to be free from plundering, others to keep a whole skin, and to go to heaven, as they imagine without losse of bloud.

1694 L. Echard tr. Plautus Epidicus iv. viii, in tr. Plautus Comedies 110 Begon in a moment, as you hope to sleep in a whole skin.

1704 J. Pitts True Acct. Mohammetans ii. 12 The Algerines are a very timerous sort of People, willing to sleep in a whole Skin.

1748 S. Richardson Clarissa V. xxi. 193 Honest Hickman may now sleep in a whole skin.

1813 R. Southey March to Moscow x, in Poet. Wks. (1838) VI. 221 He was besides in a very great fright, For a whole skin he liked to be in.

1878 C. H. Spurgeon Metrop. Tabernacle Pulpit XXIII. 563 Others think the Gospel is true: Erasmus feels sure that it is, but Erasmus wants to die in a whole skin.

1897 W. E. Norris Marietta's Marriage xliii We'll assume..that your anxiety to keep a whole skin justified you in taking to your heels.

1904 E. Glasgow Deliverance v. vi. 499 If that young rascal wants to keep a whole skin he'd better stay off this place.

1932 R. Macaulay They were Defeated i. xii. 92 He gets through with it with a whole skin.

2005 L. A. Lawson Gorgon's Mask 11 The child Thomas feared that he would not get out of his predicament with a whole skin.