Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense peels, present participle peeling, past tense, past participle peeled
1. uncountable noun
The peel of a fruit such as a lemon or an apple is its skin.
...grated lemon peel.
Synonyms: rind, skin, peeling, epicarp More Synonyms of peel
You can also refer to a peel.
[US]
...a banana peel.
2. verb
When you peel fruit or vegetables, you remove their skins.
She sat down and began peeling potatoes. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: skin, scale, strip, pare More Synonyms of peel
3. verb
If you peeloff something that has been sticking to a surface or if it peelsoff, it comes away from the surface.
One of the kids was peeling plaster off the wall. [V n + off/from]
It took me two days to peel off the labels. [V n with off/away]
Paint was peeling off the walls. [V + off/from]
The wallpaper was peeling away close to the ceiling. [Voff/away]
...an unrenovated bungalow with slightly peeling blue paint. [VERB-ing]
4. verb [usually cont]
If a surface is peeling, the paint on it is coming away.
Its once-elegant white pillars are peeling. [VERB]
5. verb [usually cont]
If you are peeling or if your skin is peeling, small pieces of skin are coming off, usually because you have been burned by the sun.
His face was peeling from sunburn. [VERB]
6. to keep your eyes peeled
Phrasal verbs:
See peel off
peel in British English1
(piːl)
verb
1. (transitive)
to remove (the skin, rind, outer covering, etc) of (a fruit, egg, etc)
2. (intransitive)
(of paint, etc) to be removed from a surface, esp through weathering
3. (intransitive)
(of a surface) to lose its outer covering of paint, etc esp through weathering
4. (intransitive)
(of a person or part of the body) to shed skin in flakes or (of skin) to be shed in flakes, esp as a result of sunburn
5. croquet
to put (another player's ball) through a hoop or hoops
6. keep one's eyes peeled
noun
7.
the skin or rind of a fruit, etc
Word origin
Old English pilian to strip off the outer layer, from Latin pilāre to make bald, from pilus a hair
peel in British English2
(piːl)
noun
a long-handled shovel used by bakers for moving bread, in an oven
Word origin
C14 pele, from Old French, from Latin pāla spade, from pangere to drive in; see palette
peel in British English3
(piːl)
noun
(in Britain) a fortified tower of the 16th century on the borders between England and Scotland, built to withstand raids
Word origin
C14 (fence made of stakes): from Old French piel stake, from Latin pālus; see pale2, paling
Peel in British English
(piːl)
noun
1.
John, real name John Robert Parker Ravenscroft. 1939–2004, British broadcaster; presented his influential Radio 1 music programme (1967–2004) and Radio 4's Home Truths (1998–2004)
2.
Sir Robert. 1788–1850, British statesman; Conservative prime minister (1834–35; 1841–46). As Home Secretary (1828–30) he founded the Metropolitan Police and in his second ministry carried through a series of free-trade budgets culminating in the repeal of the Corn Laws (1846), which split the Tory party
Derived forms
Peelite (ˈPeelite)
noun
Peel in American English
(pil)
Sir Robert1788-1850; Brit. statesman: prime minister (1834-35; 1841-46)
peel in American English1
(pil)
verb transitive
1.
to cut away or strip off (the rind, skin, covering, surface, etc.) of (anything); pare
verb intransitive
2.
to shed skin, bark, etc.
3.
to come off in layers or flakes, as old paint
4. Slang
to undress
noun
5.
the rind or skin of fruit
SIMILAR WORDS: skin
Idioms:
peel off
peel rubber
Derived forms
peeler (ˈpeeler)
noun
Word origin
ME pilien, peolien < OE *pilian < L pilare, to make bald < pilus, hair: see pile2
peel in American English2
(pil)
noun
a long shovel-like tool used by bakers for moving bread into and out of the ovens
Word origin
ME pele < OFr < L pala, a spade
peel in American English3
(pil)
noun
a fortified house or tower of a type built during the 16th cent. on the border between Scotland and England
Word origin
ME pel < Anglo-Fr < OFr, a fort, stake < L palus: see pale2
Examples of 'peel' in a sentence
peel
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.Read more…
Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly with a sharp knife or mandolin.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The architecture is beginning to peel away.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Stir-fry until crispy while you peel and finely chop the shallots.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Peel the skin off the mackerel and put the flesh into a food processor.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Peel the eggs and slice into quarters.
The Sun (2017)
Peel the potatoes and cut into quarters.
The Sun (2017)
Leave while you peel and finely chop the onion.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Mix the beans, sultanas and lemon peel or zest in a bowl and set aside.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In a large bowl, mash the peeled bananas with a fork.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Peel and slice rest of garlic in thin rounds.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Your party trick is peeling a banana with your feet.
The Sun (2014)
We are in a house with peeling walls and all the cosy charm of a vacant lot.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
We all eat skins on wedges and jackets so why throw peel away?
The Sun (2008)
Repeat until all the pith and peel is removed.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Vintage chic used to be all about peeling paint and utilitarian ticking.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It was the fruit peel that preceded it that came as a bit of a shock.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Wrap in clingfilm until cool and peel off the skin.
The Sun (2014)
Slice the peeled eggs in two and add to the salad.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Place a large peeled banana on the foil.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Dark green paint peeled off the walls.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Time peels away what had obscured the future.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Older ones need to be peeled to remove the hard skin and cooked.
The Sun (2013)
They contain special acids for a face peel at home.
The Sun (2016)
Serve the delicious combination with new potatoes tossed with mint and a lettuce salad with thin slices of peeled cucumber and chives.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Shake with ice, serve with lemon peel.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The walls were utterly bare, the grey paint slightly peeling.
Oliver Poole BLACK KNIGHTS: On the Bloody Road to Baghdad (2003)
Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Peel the rind from 1 of the oranges into wide strips and add to the pan.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Shake and pour, adding a sliver of lemon peel to the glass.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, then peel away the outer skin.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Halve, peel and finely chop the onion and garlic.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The days of saggy mattresses, shared bathrooms, stained carpets and peeling plaster exist for this generation only in tales told by their parents.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In other languages
peel
British English: peel /piːl/ NOUN
The peel of a fruit such as a lemon or apple is its skin.
...grated lemon peel.
American English: peel
Arabic: قِشْرَةٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: casca
Chinese: 果皮
Croatian: korica
Czech: slupka
Danish: skræl
Dutch: schil
European Spanish: piel peladura
Finnish: kuori hedelmän tms.
French: pelure
German: Schale Frucht
Greek: φλούδα
Italian: buccia
Japanese: 皮 果物・野菜
Korean: 껍질
Norwegian: skall
Polish: skórka
European Portuguese: casca
Romanian: coajă
Russian: кожура
Latin American Spanish: piel cáscara
Swedish: skal
Thai: เปลือก
Turkish: mevye kabuğu
Ukrainian: шкірка
Vietnamese: vỏ quả
British English: peel /piːl/ VERB
When you peel fruit or vegetables, you remove their skins.
She began peeling potatoes.
American English: peel
Arabic: يُقَشِّرُ
Brazilian Portuguese: descascar
Chinese: 剥皮
Croatian: guliti
Czech: loupat
Danish: skrælle
Dutch: schillen
European Spanish: pelar
Finnish: kuoria
French: peler
German: schälen
Greek: ξεφλουδίζω
Italian: sbucciare
Japanese: 皮をむく
Korean: 껍질을 벗기다
Norwegian: skrelle
Polish: obrać
European Portuguese: descascar
Romanian: a coji
Russian: очищать от кожуры
Latin American Spanish: pelar
Swedish: skala
Thai: ปอกเปลือก
Turkish: soymak meyva, deri vb
Ukrainian: чистити
Vietnamese: bóc vỏ
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All related terms of 'peel'
peel off
If you peel off a tight piece of clothing, you take it off, especially by turning it inside out.
banana peel
A banana peel is the same as a → banana skin .
orange peel
the thick pitted rind of an orange
peel rubber
to accelerate an automobile very rapidly, as in a drag race
peel tower
(in Britain) a fortified tower of the 16th century on the borders between England and Scotland, built to withstand raids
candied peel
fruit skin which has been impregnated or encrusted with sugar or syrup , esp that of citrus fruits
orange-peel fungus
any of various cup-shaped ascomycetous fungi of the order Pezizales, often strikingly coloured , such as the orange-peel elf-cup ( Aleuria aurantia ), which is bright orange inside and dirty white outside, and the scarlet elf-cup ( Sarcoscypha coccinea )
slip on a banana skin
to say or do something that makes you look stupid and causes you problems