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skeleton

   Also found in: Medical, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
skel·e·ton  (skl-tn)
n.
1.
a. The internal structure composed of bone and cartilage that protects and supports the soft organs, tissues, and other parts of a vertebrate organism; endoskeleton.
b. The hard external supporting and protecting structure in many invertebrates, such as mollusks and crustaceans, and certain vertebrates, such as turtles; exoskeleton.
2. A supporting structure or framework, as of a building.
3. An outline or sketch.
4. Something reduced to its basic or minimal parts.
5. One that is very thin or emaciated.
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or resembling a skeleton.
2. Reduced to the basic or minimal parts or members: a skeleton crew.
Idiom:
skeleton in (one's) closet
A source of shame or disgrace, as in a family, that is kept secret.

[Greek skeleton (sma), dried-up (body), neuter of skeletos, from skellesthai, to dry up.]

skeleton
Noun
1. the hard framework of bones that supports and protects the organs and muscles of the body
2. the essential framework of any structure: a metal skeleton supporting the roof and floors
3. Informal an extremely thin person or animal
4. an outline consisting of bare essentials: the mere skeleton of a script
5. skeleton in the cupboard or closet an embarrassing or scandalous fact from the past that is kept secret
Adjective
reduced to a minimum: a skeleton staff [Greek: something dried up]
skeletal adj

skeleton  (skl-tn)
1. The internal structure of vertebrate animals, composed of bone or cartilage, that supports the body, serves as a framework for the attachment of muscles, and protects the vital organs and associated structures.
2. A hard protective covering or supporting structure of invertebrate animals. See also endoskeletonexoskeleton

skeletal adjective
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skeleton
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.skeletonskeleton - something reduced to its minimal form; "the battalion was a mere skeleton of its former self"; "the bare skeleton of a novel"
lower limit, minimum - the smallest possible quantity
2.skeleton - a scandal that is kept secret; "there must be a skeleton somewhere in that family's closet"
scandal, outrage - a disgraceful event
3.skeletonskeleton - the hard structure (bones and cartilages) that provides a frame for the body of an animal
system - a group of physiologically or anatomically related organs or parts; "the body has a system of organs for digestion"
musculoskeletal system - the system of muscles and tendons and ligaments and bones and joints and associated tissues that move the body and maintain its form
skeletal structure - any structure created by the skeleton of an organism
endoskeleton - the internal skeleton; bony and cartilaginous structure (especially of vertebrates)
exoskeleton - the exterior protective or supporting structure or shell of many animals (especially invertebrates) including bony or horny parts such as nails or scales or hoofs
4.skeletonskeleton - the internal supporting structure that gives an artifact its shape; "the building has a steel skeleton"
aircraft - a vehicle that can fly
building, edifice - a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place; "there was a three-story building on the corner"; "it was an imposing edifice"
chassis - the skeleton of a motor vehicle consisting of a steel frame supported on springs that holds the body and motor
hoop - a light curved skeleton to spread out a skirt
ship - a vessel that carries passengers or freight
supporting structure - a structure that serves to support something

skeleton
noun 1. bones, bare bones
noun 2. frame, shell, framework, basic structure
Translations
skeleton [ˈskɛlɪtn] nesqueleto;
(TECH) → armazón m (= outline); esquema m

skeleton [ˈskɛlɪtn] nsquelette m (= outline); schéma m

skeleton [ˈskɛlɪtn] nSkelett nt
attrib (plan, outline) → skizzenhaft

skeleton [ˈskɛlɪtn] nscheletro

skeleton
n skeleton [ˈskelitn]
1 the bony framework of an animal or person The archaeologists dug up the skeleton of a dinosaur. beendere هَيْكَل الجِسِم скелет kostra skelet das Skelett σκελετός esqueleto luustik, luukere استخوانبندي luuranko squelette שֶׁלֶד कंकाल kostur csontváz tulang kerangka beinagrind scheletro 骨格 해골 griaučiai skelets rangka geraamte skjelett szkielet esqueleto schelet скелет kostra skelet kostur skelett โครงกระดูก iskelet 骨骼, 骨架 скелет, кістяк جسمانی ڈھانچہ bộ xương 骨骼,
2 any framework or outline the steel skeleton of a building. raamwerk هَيْكَل البِناء техн. скелет kostra skelet; -skelet das Skelett σκελετός, προσχέδιο esqueleto, armazón karkass, raam شالوده runko charpente שֶׁלֶד ढांचा kostur, obris váz kerangka (stál)grind scheletro, intelaiatura 骨組み 골격, 뼈대 griaučiai, karkasas karkass; uzmetums; shēma rangka geraamte rammeverk, skjelett szkielet esqueleto şarpantă, schelet остов, каркас kostra ogrodje kostur skelett, stomme โครงสร้าง çatı, çerçeve (建築、組織、計劃等)骨架 остов; каркас کوئی ڈھانچہ یا خاکہ khung, sườn组织
skeleton key
a key which can open many different locks. loper مِفتاح لِكُل الأقْفال шперц skupinový klíč hovednøgle der Dietrich γενικό αντικλείδι llave maestra üldvõti شاه كليد yleisavain passe-partout מַפתֵח מַסטֵר चोर-कुंजी otpirač, ključ koji sva vrata otvara álkulcs kunci maling aðal-/höfuðlykill passe-partout 合いかぎ 곁쇠(마스터 키) visraktis mūķīzeris kunci utama loper hovednøkkel wytrych chave-mestra şperaclu отмычка pakľúč, univerzálny kľúč vitrih kalauz huvudnyckel, dyrk กุญแจผี maymuncuk 萬能鑰匙 ключ від усіх замків کئی تالے کھولنے والی کنجی chìa khóa vạn năng


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The skeleton of even the most lawless despot makes a good constitutional sovereign.
My dear Isabella, I am sure there must be Laurentina's skeleton behind it.
As he spoke, Death, a grisly skeleton, appeared and said to him: "What wouldst thou, Mortal?
 
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