To cook briefly; as of vegetables; SYN. parboil.

To remove the husks from, as of ears of corn.

(Homonym: pair, pear).
1. To decrease gradually or bit by bit; SYN. pare down.
2. To remove the edges from; SYN. trim.

ETYM Confused with peel to strip, but from French piller to pillage. Related to Pill to rob, Pillage.
(Homonym: peal).
1. To remove the top layer of something, such as the rind of a fruit.
2. To strip off an outer layer of.
3. To remove by stripping.
4. To take off one's clothes.
5. To break away from a group or formation — often used with off.

1. To strip the skin off (fruit, for example); SYN. peel, pare.
2. To bruise, cut, or injure the skin or the surface of; SYN. scrape.