skin job

English

Alternative forms

• skinjob, skin-job

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

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Noun

skin job (plural skin jobs)

1. (science-fiction, slang) A robot or android with humanoid flesh and skin.
2. A short haircut such that the skin of the scalp is visible.
   • 2002, William True, The Cow Spoke French: The Story of Sgt. William True, American Paratrooper in World War II:

     Johnny, Dude, Joe and I all got a skin job with a small tuft in front. Johnny looks pretty good with a spit curl in front but I got the feeling I look like 'The Angel.'

   • 2011, Paul Schwertmann, From My Earliest Memory: Peek Into My Past:

     Of course, the first one I'm sure most of the servicemen remember, well, for that was our first skin job.

3. (obsolete) A hastily or shoddily done piece of work.
   • 1895 November 16, The Metal Worker:

     It is possible that many men can be trusted to make no mistakes and are above a skin job, but that the plumbing trade has assumed a great breadth in the present day is also true , and it is not well to take the risk of every man being capable of correctly designing all work which he may be called on to execute.

   • 1908 December, Carpentry and Building, volume 30, page 410:

     As a matter of course, it would be a skin job, for the architect sold his right of protest by this action.

   • 1912 June 1, J. J. Cosgrove, “Plumbing for Profit”, in Domestic Engineering and the Journal of Mechanical Contracting:

     Unquestionably it was a botch job, and far from being sanitary, and the real plumber had good cause to feel hurt that he should lose both reputation, a friend and profit on such a skin job.

   • 1926 June, “Killing the Golden Goose”, in Building Age and National Builder, volume 48:

     The poor sill hasn't even proper dirt support at the corners. Probably as raw a skin job as ever constructed to fool the public.