- When there are only a few limited people working, just enough to keep the business open, this is an example of a skeleton crew.
- The internal bone and cartilage structure that supports the body are an example of a skeleton.
- the hard framework of an animal body, supporting the tissues and protecting the organs; specif., all the bones collectively, or the bony framework, of a human being or other vertebrate animal
- anything like a skeleton in any of various ways
- a very lean or emaciated person or animal
- a supporting framework, as of a building or ship
- an outline or preliminary sketch, as of a novel
- the meager or devitalized remains of something
Origin of skeletonModern Latin ; from Classical Greek ; from skeleton (s?ma), dried (body), mummy ; from skeletos, dried up, akin to skl?ros, dry, hard ; from Indo-European base an unverified form (s)kel- from source shallow
- of or like a skeleton; specif., of, or having the nature of, the main or essential outline, framework, etc.: a skeleton plan
- greatly reduced: a skeleton force
skeleton at the feast
Origin of skeletonin allusion to a memento mori offered near the end of many ancient Egyptian banquets, as described by Plutarch, in which a servant carried in a skeleton and exclaimed to the guests, “Eat, drink, and be merry; for, tomorrow you die!”
skeleton in the closet
Origin of skeletonphr. popularized by W. M. Thackeray, but in use earlier
- a. The internal structure that protects and supports the soft organs, tissues, and other parts of a vertebrate organism, and is composed of bone and cartilage or, in certain animals, cartilage alone.b. The hard external structure that supports, protects, or contains the body of many invertebrates, such as mollusks, crustaceans, and corals, and certain vertebrates, such as turtles.
- A supporting structure or framework, as of a building.
- An outline or sketch.
- Something reduced to its basic or minimal parts.
- One that is very thin or emaciated.
- a. A sport in which a person glides down an icy track head-first lying on one's stomach on a compact, simple sled that lacks steering or brakes.b. The sled used in such a sport.
- Of, relating to, or resembling a skeleton.
- Reduced to the basic or minimal parts or members: a skeleton crew.
- Of or relating to the sport of skeleton.
Origin of skeletonGreek skeleton (s&omacron;ma), dried-up (body), neuter of skeletos, from skellesthai, to dry up.
top: human skeleton
- (anatomy) The system that provides support to an organism, internal and made up of bones and cartilage in vertebrates, external in some other animals.
- A frame that provides support to a building or other construction.
- (figuratively) A very thin person.
- She lost so much weight while she was ill that she became a skeleton.
- (From the sled used, which originally was a bare frame, like a skeleton.) A type of tobogganing in which competitors lie face down, and descend head first (compare luge). See Skeleton (sport)
- (computing) A client-helper procedure that communicates with a stub.
- RMI Nomenclature: in RMI, the client helper is a 'stub' and the service helper is a 'skeleton'.
- (geometry) The vertices and edges of a polyhedron, taken collectively.
- An anthropomorphic representation of a skeleton. See Skeleton (undead)
- She dressed up as a skeleton for Halloween.
- (figuratively) The central core of something that gives shape to the entire structure.
- The skeleton of the organisation is essentially the same as it was ten years ago, but many new faces have come and gone.
(third-person singular simple present skeletons, present participle skeletoning, simple past and past participle skeletoned)
- (archaic) to reduce to a skeleton; to skin; to skeletonize
- (archaic) to minimize
From Ancient Greek ÏƒÎºÎµÎ»ÎµÏ„ÏŒÏ‚ (skeletos, “dried up, withered, dried body, parched, mummy"), from ÏƒÎºÎµÎ»Î»ÏŽ (skellÅ, “dry, dry up, make dry, parch"), from Proto-Indo-European *skele- "to parch, whither;" compare Greek Î£ÎºÎ»Î·ÏÏŒÏ‚ "hard".