Language: en
Meaning: ; (anatomy)Thesystemthat provides support to anorganism, internal and made up ofbonesandcartilageinvertebrates, external in some other animals.1881–1882,Robert Louis Stevenson, “The Treasure Hunt—Flint’s Pointer”, inTreasure Island, London; Paris:Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883,→OCLC, part VI (Captain Silver),page263:At the foot of a pretty big pine, and involved in a green creeper, which had even partly lifted some of the smaller bones, a humanskeletonlay, with a few shreds of clothing, on the ground.; ; Ananthropomorphicrepresentationof a skeleton.She dressed up as askeletonfor Halloween.1724,Charles Johnson[pseudonym], “Of Captain Spriggs and His Crew”, inA General History of the Pyrates,[…], 2nd edition, London: Printed for, and sold by T. Warner,[…],→OCLC,pages411–412:A Day or two after they parted,[Francis]Spriggswas choſe Captain by the reſt, and a black Enſign was made, which they calledJolly Roger, with the ſame Device that Captain[Edward]Lowcarried,viz.a whiteSkelitonin the Middle of it, with a Dart in one Hand ſtriking a bleeding Heart, and in the other, an Hour Glaſs; when this was finiſhed and hoiſted, they fired all their Guns to ſalute their Captain and themſelves, and then looked out for Prey.; (figuratively)A very thin person.She lost so much weight while she was ill that she became askeleton.; (figuratively)The central core of something that gives shape to the entire structure.Theskeletonof the organisation is essentially the same as it was ten years ago, but many new faces have come and gone.; (architecture)Aframethat provides support to abuildingor other construction.; (computing,middleware)A client-helper procedure that communicates with astub.Coordinate term:stubIn remote method invocation, the client helper is a ‘stub’ and the service helper is a ‘skeleton’.; (geometry)Theverticesandedgesof apolyhedron, taken collectively.; (printing)A very thin form of light-facedtype.; ; (especially attributive)A minimum or bare essentials.1960August, L. Hyland, “The Irish Scene”, inTrains Illustrated, page468:At the time of writing the halts have been reprieved due to doubts as to the legality of the withdrawal of services. It is feared that this reprieve may not outlast the summer timetable which, on the section in question, provides only askeletonof the former service.2020April 8, Matt Lovering, “An opportunity for the rail industry to deliver major change”, inRail, page46:The rail industry has survived the first fortnight of the UK'sCOVID-19crisis. Quick intervention from the Department of Transport has ensured that franchise operators will remain solvent during this period; rapid work to replan the timetable has delivered a minimum viable service plan; and the Kitchener-esque appeal for retired signal workers should ensure that the network can continue to operate askeletonservice.; (botany)The network of veins in a leaf.1870, Robert Kemp Philp,Best of everything, by the author of 'Enquire within'., page336:However interesting theskeletonof a leaf that has been bleached by nature may be, it cannot be alleged to be beautiful in colour, and therefore it is not of much value for the purposes of household decoration.2010, Ruth B. McDowell,Piecing: Expanding The Basics:Rather than abstracting the leaf from the outline of the leaf, I can begin by working from theskeletonof the leaf.2016, Dueep Jyot Singh, John Davidson, Mendon Cottage Books,Skeleton Leaves - Preserving Leaves for Everlasting Beauty, page10:This is going to get rid of all the green leafy debris sticking to theskeletonof the leaf and you are going to find a really attractive fiber network of your leaf.; (idiomatic)Clippingofskeleton in the closet(“a shameful secret”).
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