skeleton

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.

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

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skeleton [ˈskɛlɪtən]

n

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Zoology) a hard framework consisting of inorganic material that supports and protects the soft parts of an animal's body and provides attachment for muscles: may be internal, as in vertebrates (see endoskeleton), or external, as in arthropods (see exoskeleton)

2. Informal a very thin emaciated person or animal

3. the essential framework of any structure, such as a building or leaf, that supports or determines the shape of the rest of the structure

4. an outline consisting of bare essentials the skeleton of a novel

5. (modifier) reduced to a minimum a skeleton staff

skeleton in the cupboard or (US and Canadian) closet a scandalous fact or event in the past that is kept secret

[via New Latin from Greek: something desiccated, from skellein to dry up]

skeletal  adj

skeletally  adv

skeleton-like  adj

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skel•e•ton (ˈskɛl ɪ tn)

n.

1. the bones of a vertebrate considered as a whole, together forming the internal framework of the body.

2. any of various structures forming a rigid framework in certain invertebrates.

3. an emaciated person or animal.

4. a supporting framework, as of a leaf, building, or ship.

5. an outline, as of a literary work: the skeleton of the plot.

6. something reduced to its essential parts.

adj.

7. of or pertaining to a skeleton.

8. reduced to the essential or minimal parts or numbers: a skeleton staff.

Idioms:

skeleton in the closet or cupboard, any embarrassing, shameful, or damaging secret.

[1570–80; < New Latin < Greek: dried corpse, skeleton, n. use of neuter of skeletós dried up, v. adj. of skéllein to dry]

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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

skeleton

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	skeleton - 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" skeleton in the closet, skeleton in the cupboard scandal, outrage - a disgraceful event
	3.	skeleton - the hard structure (bones and cartilages) that provides a frame for the body of an animal skeletal system, systema skeletale, frame 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.	skeleton - the internal supporting structure that gives an artifact its shape; "the building has a steel skeleton" skeletal frame, underframe, frame 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

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skeleton

noun

1. bones, bare bones a human skeleton

2. frame, shell, framework, basic structure Only skeletons of buildings remained in the area.

3. plan, structure, frame, draft, outline, framework, sketch, abstract, blueprint, main points a skeleton of policy guidelines

adjective

minimum, reduced, minimal, essential Only a skeleton staff remains to see anyone interested around the site.

Translations

skeleton [ˈskelɪtn]

A. N [of person] → esqueleto m; [of building] → armazón f, armadura f; (= structure) → estructura f; [of novel, report] → esquema m, bosquejo m
skeleton in the cupboard → secreto m de familia

B. CPD [service] → mínimo; [outline] → esquemático
skeleton key N → llave f maestra
skeleton staff N with a skeleton staff → con un personal mínimo

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skeleton [ˈskɛlɪt^ən] n

(ANATOMY) → squelette m
a human skeleton → un squelette humain
to have a skeleton in the cupboard (British) to have a skeleton in the closet → avoir un squelette dans le placard

[building] → structure f

(= basic outline) [plot, article] → schéma m
skeleton draft n → canevas m
skeleton key n → passe-partout m inv
skeleton staff n → permanence f, permanents mpl

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skeleton

n (lit, fig) → Skelett nt; (esp of ship) → Gerippe nt; a skeleton in one’s cupboard (Brit) or closet (US) → ein dunkler Punkt (seiner Vergangenheit); (of public figure) → eine Leiche im Keller

adj plan, outline etc → provisorisch

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skeleton:

skeleton crew

n → Not- or Minimalbesatzung f

skeleton key

n → Dietrich m

skeleton service

n → Notdienst m

skeleton staff

n → Notbesetzung f

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skeleton [ˈskɛlɪtn]

1. n (of person) → scheletro; (of building) → struttura, ossatura; (of novel, report) → schema m
a walking skeleton (fig) → uno scheletro ambulante
the skeleton at the feast (fig) → il/la guastafeste
skeleton in the cupboard or closet (fig) → scheletro nell'armadio

2. adj (staff, service) → ridotto/a

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skeleton (ˈskelitn) noun

1. the bony framework of an animal or person. The archaeologists dug up the skeleton of a dinosaur. beendere هَيْكَل الجِسِم скелет esqueleto kostra das Skelett skelet σκελετός esqueleto luustik, luukere استخوانبندي luuranko squelette שֶׁלֶד कंकाल kostur csontváz tulang kerangka beinagrind scheletro 骨格 골격 griaučiai skelets rangka geraamte skjelett szkielet دهډونو جوړښت، سكليټ: خاكه، چوكاټ esqueleto schelet скелет kostra skelet kostur skelett โครงกระดูก iskelet 骨骼，骨架 скелет, кістяк جسمانی ڈھانچہ bộ xương 骨骼，骨架

2. any framework or outline. the steel skeleton of a building. raamwerk هَيْكَل البِناء техн. скелет esqueleto kostra das Skelett skelet; -skelet σκελετός, προσχέδιο esqueleto, armazón karkass, raam شالوده runko charpente שֶׁלֶד ढांचा kostur, obris váz kerangka (stál)grind scheletro, intelaiatura 骨組み 뼈대 griaučiai, karkasas karkass; uzmetums; shēma rangka geraamte rammeverk, skjelett szkielet سكليټ esqueleto şarpantă, schelet остов, каркас kostra ogrodje kostur skelett, stomme โครงสร้าง çatı, çerçeve (結構的)骨架，框架 остов; каркас کوئی ڈھانچہ یا خاکہ khung, sườn （建筑、组织、计划等）骨架，框架

skeleton key

a key which can open many different locks. loper مِفتاح لِكُل الأقْفال шперц chave-mestra skupinový klíč der Dietrich hovednøgle 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 (마스터키) 곁쇠 visraktis mūķīzeris kunci utama loper hovednøkkel wytrych ماستر کلی 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 万能钥匙

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skeleton → هيكل عظمي kostra skelet Skelett σκελετός esqueleto luuranko squelette kostur scheletro 骨格 해골 skelet skjelett szkielet esqueleto скелет skelett โครงกระดูก iskelet bộ xương 骷髅

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skel·e·ton

n.  esqueleto, armazón ósea del cuerpo.