Hide

Hide is a word with several distinct meanings in English. As a noun, it most commonly refers to the skin of an animal, especially when prepared for leather. As a verb, it means to place something or oneself out of sight or to conceal. The word can also denote a place of concealment, such as a hide or hiding place, or, in historical contexts, a unit of land used for taxation and assessment.

Animal hides vary widely by species, with thickness, flexibility, and grain influenced by the animal and by processing methods. Common hides include cowhide, calfskin, goatskin, sheepskin, and pigskin. After collection, hides undergo curing to prevent decay and tanning to convert proteins into durable leather. Vegetable tanning uses plant tannins; chrome tanning uses chromium salts. Finishing steps produce different textures, colors, and finishes. Leather made from hides is used for clothing, footwear, furniture, and industrial goods. Modern sourcing and processing often emphasize sustainability and animal-welfare considerations.

As a verb, hide also denotes concealing something or oneself from view, often to avoid detection or for protection. The related noun “hiding place” refers to any location used to conceal a person or object, and the concept appears in many games and stories, such as hide-and-seek.

In historical usage, a hide was a unit of land roughly representing the amount needed to support a household, used in some medieval English contexts for tax and land assessment. The exact size varied by locale and period, and the term later became more strongly associated with animal skins.

Today the word retains its core meanings in everyday language and industry, linking discussions of animals, materials, and acts of concealment.