PEEL  . (r) The skin or rind of a

fruit; thus " to peel " is to remove the outer covering of anything . The etymology of the word is closely connected with that of " pill," to plunder, surviving in " pillage." Both words are to be referred to French and thence to Latin . In French peler and piller, though now distinguished in meaning (the first used of stripping bark or rind, the second meaning to rob), were somewhat confused in application, and a similar confusion occurs in English till comparatively ' late . The Latin words from which they are derived are pellis, skin, and pilare, to strip of hair (pilus) . (2) The name of a class of small fortified dwelling-houses built during the 16th century on the borders between Scotland and England . They are also known as " bastes-houses," i.e . " bastille-houses, and consist of a square massive tower with high pitched roof, the lower part being vaulted, the upper part containing a few living rooms . The entrance is on the upper floor, access being gained by a movable ladder . The vaulted ground-floor chamber served for the cattle when there was danger of attack . The word appears in various forms, e.g. pele, peil, and Latinized as pelum, &c.; " pile " is also found used synonymously, but the New English Dictionary (s.v. pile) considers the two words distinct . It seems more probable that the word is to be identified with " pale," a stake (Lat. palus) .

The earlier meaning of " peel " is a palisaded enclosure used as an additional

defence for a fortified post or as an independent stronghold .