British slang meaning having no money; broke or impoverished. Completely without financial resources.
Originally from 'skinned,' meaning to have been stripped of money, like an animal stripped of its hide. The term emerged in early 20th century British slang, playing on the idea of being 'fleeced' or having everything taken away.
This colorful British expression captures the visceral feeling of financial destitution through the metaphor of being skinned alive. It's more emphatic than simply saying 'broke' and conveys both the completeness of the poverty and the painful process of losing one's money.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.