Many parts of the human body appear in a variety of English language expressions. As the largest and most visible organ, skin offers tremendous idiomatic potential. Herein, I explore a few of these popular sayings.
The qualities of skin tell a lot about one’s character. If a person has “thick skin,” they can withstand criticism. Conversely, a person with “thin skin” is easily offended. Skin may also belie a person’s core character. “Beauty is only skin-deep” is a familiar saying that suggests external attractiveness has no relation to goodness. This proverb was first stated by Sir Thomas Overbury in his 1613 poem, “A Wife”: “All the carnal beauty of my wife is but skin-deep.”1 Now, a shortened of this idiom, “skin deep,” is often used to allude to anything superficial or slight.