Lewis & Short

cŭtis, is (acc. cutem, App. Mag. p. 306, 14), f. [kindr. with κύτος; Sanscr. gudh; Germ. Haut], the skin.

  1. I. Prop., Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 18, 3; Cels. 2, 8; Plin. 28, 12, 50, § 183 sq.; Quint. 11, 3, 78; Hor. C. 1, 28, 13; id. A. P. 476; Sen. Ep. 95, 16; 123, 7 al.
    In plur., Plin. 6, 31, 36, § 200; 11, 37, 45, § 128.
        1. b. Prov.: curare cutem, to take care of one’s skin, i. e. to make much of one’s self, Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 29; 1, 4, 15 (for which pelliculam curare, id. S. 2, 5, 38): cogere aliquem intra suam cutem, Sen. Ep. 9, 13: cute perditus, sick in one’s body, Pers. 1, 23: ego te intus et in cute novi, I know you thoroughly, id. 3, 30.
    1. B. Transf.
      1. 1. Hide, leather: calceus est sartā terque quaterque cute, Mart. 1, 103, 6.
      2. 2. A soft coating, covering of any thing; the skin, rind, surface (several times in the Nat. Hist. of Pliny): casiae, Plin. 12, 19, 43, § 95: nucleorum, id. 15, 10, 9, § 36: uvarum, id. 15, 28, 34, § 112: lauri, id. 27, 10, 60, § 84: summa terrae, id. 20, 19, 79, § 207.
  2. II. Trop., the external appearance, surface, outside: tenerā quādam elocutionis cute, Quint. 5, 12, 18: imaginem virtutis effingere et solam ut sic dixerim cutem, id. 10, 2, 15; Gell. 18, 4, 2.