I’ll cook the potatoes if someone will ____ them first.
A. skin
B. peel

Note: I thought the answer was “to skin, but I found the correct answer is “to peel.” Both verbs are very similar in meaning so I wonder if there are general rules that people go by, such as “vegetables are peeled, animals are skinned”?

Question

I’ll cook the potatoes if someone will ____ them first.
A.	skin
B.	peel

Note: I thought the answer was “to skin, but I found the correct answer is “to peel.” Both verbs are very similar in meaning so I wonder if there are general rules that people go by, such as “vegetables are peeled, animals are skinned”?

Answer

Thats a great question.  I think it has more to do with what is used to being used.  Because we call the outside of a potato the "skin".  You can even order "Potato Skins" at some restaurants loaded with cheese and toppings.  The act of peeling something is a verb.  But its also common if you fall down to "skin your knee" so here "skin" is used to mean that your skin peeled off.  So I think either are correct, but you would normally hear "peel a potato" becasue that is what has been used habitually.

Answer

both are fine, but peel sounds better.  Skin sounds a little old-fashioned.

Answer

Oh I see, so shrimps are an exception. Thanks Steve!

Answer

Here its peel shrimp (and de-vein)  SOme restaurants actually have a dish called "Peel and eat Shrimp"

Answer

Thank you Rosia I was waiting for someone to confirm it thanks. 
One more question, do we peel shrimps or skin shrimps?