Skin-and-bones

Skin-and-bones describes a person or animal that is extremely thin, with little or no flesh on their body. It's a vivid description evoking the image of skeletal structure barely covered by skin. Often used to express concern for someone's health or well-being, it implies a state of emaciation or severe thinness, usually due to illness, lack of food, or neglect. The phrase can also be used figuratively to describe something that lacks substance or is lacking in key components. The emphasis is on the gaunt appearance of the individual or object being described. It vividly paints a picture of frailty and a lack of physical reserves.

Skin-and-bones meaning with examples

• The stray dog wandering the streets was skin-and-bones, its ribs clearly visible under its matted fur. We immediately took it in and started feeding it regularly. We nursed it back to health slowly. The poor animal was clearly neglected, and it needed lots of care and attention. I felt so awful for the poor thing, and I'm so glad it's now healthy.
• After weeks of battling the flu, she emerged from her bed skin-and-bones. The illness had robbed her of her appetite, and she had lost a significant amount of weight. Everyone was surprised, even her doctor, but her recuperation was slow, as it had taken its toll on her body. The long-term recovery included physical therapy, diet, and rest.
• The prisoner of war was a haunting sight, skin-and-bones after years of captivity and malnutrition. His ordeal had ravaged his body and left him weak. His spirit was diminished and beaten down. Despite all his hardships, he still had some fight left in him, and that gave him a will to live.
• The old, dilapidated house, stripped of its paint and with peeling wallpaper, was described as being skin-and-bones. The lack of care and attention to its condition over time left it completely vulnerable. It was barely standing and needed major work. It needed immediate help to bring it back to good standing.
• The budget proposal, with its drastic cuts to essential programs, was viewed by critics as being skin-and-bones. It seemed it had been stripped to the bare minimum, and it could not provide proper support. They felt it lacked the resources needed for its goals. It couldn't survive for too long at its proposed funding levels.