释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024skel•e•ton /ˈskɛlɪtən/USA pronunciation n. [countable]- Anatomy, Zoologythe bones of a human or animal thought of as a whole, together forming the inner framework of the body.
- a very thin, underweight person or animal.
- Building, Nautical, Naval Termsa supporting framework, as of a leaf, building, or ship.
- an outline, as of a piece of writing:Can you describe the skeleton of the plot?
adj. - of or relating to a skeleton.
- reduced to the essential parts or numbers:They kept a skeleton staff working during the holidays.
Idioms- Idioms skeleton in the closet, [countable] any embarrassing, shameful, or damaging secret.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024skel•e•ton (skel′i tn),USA pronunciation n. - Anatomy, Zoologythe bones of a human or an animal considered as a whole, together forming the framework of the body.
- Anatomy, Zoologyany of various structures forming a rigid framework in an invertebrate.
- an emaciated person or animal.
- Building, Nautical, Naval Termsa supporting framework, as of a leaf, building, or ship.
- an outline, as of a literary work:the skeleton of the plot.
- something reduced to its essential parts.
- skeleton at the feast, a person or thing that casts gloom over a joyful occasion;
a note or reminder of sorrow in the midst of joy. - skeleton in the closet or cupboard:
- a family scandal that is concealed to avoid public disgrace.
- any embarrassing, shameful, or damaging secret.
adj. - of or pertaining to a skeleton.
- like or being a mere framework;
reduced to the essential or minimal parts or numbers:a skeleton staff.
- Greek: mummy, noun, nominal use of neuter of skeletós dried up, verbid of skéllein to dry
- Neo-Latin
- 1570–80
skel′e•ton•less, adj. skel′e•ton•like′,?r> adj. Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: skeleton /ˈskɛlɪtən/ n - a hard framework consisting of inorganic material that supports and protects the soft parts of an animal's body and provides attachment for muscles: may be internal (an endoskeleton), as in vertebrates, or external( an exoskeleton), as in arthropods
- informal a very thin emaciated person or animal
- the essential framework of any structure, such as a building or leaf, that supports or determines the shape of the rest of the structure
- an outline consisting of bare essentials: the skeleton of a novel
- (modifier) US Canadian reduced to a minimum: a skeleton staff
- skeleton in the cupboard, US Canadian skeleton in the closet ⇒ a scandalous fact or event in the past that is kept secret
Etymology: 16th Century: via New Latin from Greek: something desiccated, from skellein to dry upˈskeletal adj ˈskeleton-ˌlike adj |