Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US, Western) a general oath.

1882		E.S. Ellis Huge Hunter in Beadles Half Dime Library XI:271 4/2: But skin me, younker, I want to buy it!
1914		Ocala Star (FL) 7 Nov. 2/4: I heard him singing [...] ‘Skin me oh, my savior, skin me’. So you people have been saying skin me oh, skin me, by standing out against cooperation.

2. (US black, also skin!) a form of greeting inviting ritual palm slapping [imper. form of give (some) skin under skin n.¹ ].

1944		D. Burley N.Y. Amsterdam News 8 Apr. 8B: The vipers [...] were mellow and their knowledge wigs tight. ‘Skin me, Jim, that’s the lick’.
1959		A. Anderson ‘Dance of the Infidels’ in Lover Man 153: ‘Skin,’ he said. I slapped his palm real light and he said ‘Solid.’.
1965		(con. 1940s) Malcolm X Autobiog. (1968) 165: […] I’d stick out my hand, saying, ‘Skin me, daddy-o!’.
1990		Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 7: skin me – command to shake hands by sliding hands across each other.
1993–2003		Steve Urban Dict. 🌐 skin me Related to the phrase, give me some skin. i.e. Give me a high five. Usually used when greeting friends. Skin me!