exfoliate, v.
(ɛksˈfəʊlɪeɪt)
[f. late L. exfoliāt- ppl. stem of exfoliāre to strip of leaves, f. ex- (see ex- prefix1) + folium leaf: see -ate3. (In Fr. exfolier.) Cf. effoliate.]
1. trans. a. Pathol. To cast off, shed (the cuticle, the surface of a bone) in the form of ‘leaves’ or scales. b. Surg. To remove the surface of (a bone, etc.) by exfoliation.
| 1612 Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. (1653) 391 Nature doth of her self exfoliate, and cast off the part putrid. 1671 Shadwell Humorist v, I have hurt myself just upon the shin-bone that was exfoliated. 1683 Salmon Doron Med. ii. 588 It is an excellent thing to scale and exfoliate Bones. 1799 Med. Jrnl. II. 446 The other [wound] continued..to exfoliate a little bone. 1810 Charac. in Ann. Reg. 1808 116 Animals that exfoliate their cuticle annually. |
2. intr. Of a bone, horny substance, a scar, the skin, etc.: To separate or come off in thin leaf-like layers or scales; to desquamate, scale off.
| 1676 Wiseman Chirurg. Treat. ii. vii. 184 The Heel-bone..rarely exfoliates by rough handling. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1862) II. i. vi. 26 [The horny helmet of the cassowary] exfoliates slowly like the beak. 1807 Med. Jrnl. XVII. 278 The eschar produced by the caustic exfoliated very kindly. 1818 Art Preserv. Feet 177 The nails..are subject..to exfoliate. 1844–57 G. Bird Urin. Deposits (ed. 5) 359 The warm bath was daily used as soon as the skin began to exfoliate. 1856 Kane Arct. Expl. II. xi. 34 Down with a frozen heel; the bone exfoliating. |
3. transf. a. Of the cellular tissue of trees: To peel off. Of the trunk: To throw off layers of bark. b. Of minerals, metals, rocks, etc.: To split into laminæ, come off in layers or scales.
| 1807 J. E. Smith Phys. Bot. 23 The Cellular Integument exfoliates..in trees. 1811 Pinkerton Petral. I. 591 Trunks of trees, lying one on the other..easily exfoliate, by drying in the open air. 1831 J. Holland Manuf. Metals I. 152 The wrought iron exfoliates, or separates in laminæ. 1839 Murchison Silur. Syst. i. xxxvi. 501 The columnar green⁓stone exfoliates at the angles of the prisms. 1862 Dana Man. Geol. 64 Before the blowpipe it [anhydrite] does not exfoliate like gypsum. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educ. IV. 145/1 The fire is only moderate at first, lest the cupel should crack and exfoliate by being too suddenly heated. |
4. trans. In etymological sense: To unfold the leaves of; to open out, develop. In quot. fig.
| 1808 Knox & Jebb Corr. I. 447 To make a sermon out of one of his discourses..partly, by exfoliating ideas, that are like rosebuds. 1877 Wraxall tr. Hugo's Miserables v. xxxix. 26 Questions exfoliated themselves. |
Hence exˈfoliated, exˈfoliating ppl. adjs.
| 1676 Wiseman Chirurg. Treat. v. ix. 398 The exfoliated edges of the bone. 1859 Reeve Brittany 236 The columns were getting rusty and exfoliated. 1882 Times 23 Mar. 9/5 The dust of their exfoliating skin. |
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▸ a. trans. To remove dead cells from the surface of (the skin), esp. by means of a cosmetic preparation.
| [1976 Chem. Week (Nexis) 2 June 20 The pad, used as a mechanical exfoliating agent, is moistened, soaped up and buffed over the skin. The pad has a service life of about two months.] 1981 Christian Sci. Monitor 17 Mar. b18/3 The spokesman speaks of ‘clarifying’ the skin, of ‘exfoliating’ it. 1991 Hair's How No. 34. 819/2 Exfoliate your skin regularly with a facial scrub to prevent a build-up of dead skin and dull, dingy patches. 1996 Green Bk. of Beauty 1996 Catal. (Yves Rocher) 9 A range of skin care products..to deep-cleanse, exfoliate, purify and moisturise your skin. 2001 Evening News (Edinb.) (Electronic ed.) 22 Oct. To avoid cracked, sore lips, exfoliate your lips lightly with an old toothbrush and a smear of Vaseline. |
b. intr. To remove dead cells from the surface of the skin; to use an exfoliant.
| 1983 Women's Wear Daily (Nexis) 15 Apr. tm33 Men will never change their routine. You'll never get them to cleanse, scruff and exfoliate. 1996 Hello! 27 Jan. 86/1 If you generally use a moisturiser that contains AHAs (alpha-hydroxy-acids) you probably won't need to exfoliate manually. 2001 Mode May 68/3 With zit-busting salicylic acid, it's a vitamin-enriched, anti-acne lotion that gently exfoliates as it protects and conditions. |