GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Found 6 definitions

1.       
   Peel , n. [OE. pel. Cf. Pile a heap.] A small tower, fort, or castle; a keep. [Scot.]
   1913 Webster
         
       

2.       
   Peel, n. [F. pelle, L. pala.] A spadelike implement, variously used, as for removing loaves of bread from a baker's oven; also, a T-shaped implement used by printers and bookbinders for hanging wet sheets of paper on lines or poles to dry. Also, the blade of an oar.
   1913 Webster
         
       

3.       
   Peel, v. t. [Confused with peel to strip, but fr. F. piller to pillage. See Pill to rob, Pillage.] To plunder; to pillage; to rob. [Obs.]
   1913 Webster
   But govern ill the nations under yoke,
   Peeling their provinces.
   Milton.
   
   1913 Webster
   
         
       

4.       
   Peel, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Peeled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Peeling.] [F. peler to pull out the hair, to strip, to peel, fr. L. pilare to deprive of hair, fr. pilus a hair; or perh. partly fr. F. peler to peel off the skin, perh. fr. L. pellis skin (cf. Fell skin). Cf. Peruke.]
    To strip off the skin, bark, or rind of; to strip by drawing or tearing off the skin, bark, husks, etc.; to flay; to decorticate; as, to peel an orange.
   1913 Webster
   The skillful shepherd peeled me certain wands.
   Shak.
   
   1913 Webster
   To strip or tear off; to remove by stripping, as the skin of an animal, the bark of a tree, etc.
   1913 Webster
         
       

5.       
   Peel, v. i.
   To lose the skin, bark, or rind; to come off, as the skin, bark, or rind does; -- often used with an adverb; as, the bark peels easily or readily.
   1913 Webster
   To strip naked; to disrobe. Often used with down . [nformal] 
   PJC
         
       

6.       
   Peel, n. The skin or rind; as, the peel of an orange.
   1913 Webster