v. [f. L. ex- out + cortic- stem of cortex bark, shell + -ATE3.] trans. To pull or strip off the bark from (a tree), or the shell from (a nut, seed). Also fig.
1657. Tomlinson, Renou’s Disp., 63. The … seeds … are excorticated by a knife.
1664. Evelyn, Sylva, 69. Moss is to be rubb’d and scrap’d off with some fit instrument of Wood, which may not excorticate the Tree.
1844. Alb. Smith, Adv. Mr. Ledbury, v. (1886), 16. Looking about the nails as if he had been excorticating millions of new walnuts.
b. fig.
1600. O. E., Repl. to Libel, III. vi. 31. To make his eloquence seeme more admirable, he doth excorticate certaine Latin words according to his Romish fashion.
Hence Excorticated ppl. a.
1657. Phys. Dict., Excorticated, fleyed or pieled.
1693. Sir E. King, in Phil. Trans., XVII. 863. (Whole Oatmeal, or) an Excorticated Oat.
1725. Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Diahexapte, Take Juniper-Berries unexcorticated, and Bay Berries excorticated.
