peel

Universal Words verb, noun verb 1 [VN] to take the skin off fruit, vegetables, etc: to peel an orange / a banana * Have you peeled the potatoes? 2 ~ (sth) away / off / back to remove a layer, covering, etc. from the surface of sth; to come off the surface of sth: [VN] Carefully peel away the lining paper. * [V] The label will peel off if you soak it in water. 3 [V] ~ (off) (of a covering) to come off in strips or small pieces: The wallpaper was beginning to peel. * If I stay in the sun too long my skin peels. 4 [V] (of a surface) to lose strips or small pieces of its covering: Put on some cream to stop your nose from peeling. * The walls have begun to peel. IDIOMS see EYEn. PHRASALVERBS peel off to leave a group of vehicles, aircraft, etc. and turn to one side: The leading car in the motorcade peeled off to the right. peel off