(v. t.) To skin; to strip off the skin or surface of; as, to flay an ox; to flay the green earth.

assail attack bark berate bleed bleed white blister castigate decorticate defoliate denude deplume despoil dismember displume divest drain draw and quarter dry excoriate exhaust fleece fustigate impoverish lacerate lash maim mangle milk mutilate pare peel pick clean pick to pieces pluck pull apart roast scalp scarify scathe scorch scourge shear shred skin skin alive slash strip strip bare suck dry take apart tear apart tear to pieces tear to tatters tongue-lash trounce