Strip the skin off (4)
I believe the answer is:
flay
<span class="explanation-format__ClueExplanation">'<span class="explanation-format__original">strip the skin off</span>' is the definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">(synonyms)</span><br/ ><br/ >This is the entire clue.<br/ ></span>
(Other definitions for flay that I've seen before include "Strip skin from (a body)" , "Fiercely criticise" , "Savagely criticise; skin" , "Strip the skin from (a carcass)" , "thrash" .)