Skin and bones
Meaning
To be extremely thin or emaciated, often due to illness, starvation, or intense physical exertion.
Origin
The phrase 'skin and bones' paints a stark, unforgettable image: a body so withered that its skeletal structure is barely concealed beneath a thin layer of flesh. This direct, visceral description of extreme emaciation has resonated through the English language for centuries, its power lying in its simple, unvarnished truth. Though not tied to a singular historical event, its long use in literature and everyday speech highlights humanity's enduring struggle with hardship, famine, and disease, making it a timeless descriptor for profound physical depletion. It’s a phrase that conjures immediate empathy or alarm, a raw testament to the fragility of life.
Examples
- After his long illness, he was nothing but skin and bones.
- The stray dog was skin and bones when we found it, but a few weeks of good food brought it back to health.