Excoriate (4)
I believe the answer is:
flay
'excoriate' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for flay that I've seen before include "fleece" , "Slate" , "Strip skin from (a body)" , "Strip skin off by whipping" , "Whip so as to remove skin" .)