a.
1. Having a thick skin; of plants, fruits, etc., having a thick outer coat or peel.
1545. Elyot, Callosus, thicke skynned.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. XI. xxxix. 346. Men … who are thicke skinned … be more grosse of sence and understanding.
1813. Sir H. Davy, Agric. Chem. (1814), 152. In the South of Europe, hard or thin-skinned wheat is in higher estimation than soft or thick-skinned wheat.
1831. Carlyle, Sart. Res., II. ii. Did not these bristly thick-skinned beings [hogs] here manifest intelligence?
1884. Bower & Scott, De Bary’s Phaner., 38. The superficial position of the stomata is the rule for herbaceous less thick-skinned parts.
2. fig. Dull of sensation or feeling; obtuse, stolid; now esp. not sensitive to criticism or rebuff; the opposite of thin-skinned.
1602. 2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass., III. iv. 1383. The Seruile current of my slyding verse, Gently shal runne into his thick skind eares.
1658. Sir T. Browne, Hydriot., Introd. (1736), 8. They who are so Thick-skinned as still to believe the Story of the Phœnix.
1828. Scott, Jrnl., 26 June. He would be thick-skinned if he stands the clamour.
1885. American, IX. 387. He is too thick-skinned to mind eloquent and indignant criticism.
