Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. cheek, impudence, effrontery.

1896		Ade Artie (1963) 20: That fellow’s got a horrible rind to think he can set on the same side o’ the room with you.
1903		A. Binstead Pitcher in Paradise 79: They had the immortal rind to pull out a fifth document for me to sign.
1914		Ade ‘The New Fable of the Uplifter’ in Ade’s Fables 105: The large-size Carnegie Medal for Heroism is waiting for the Caller who has the immortal Rind to tell a poetical Pest that his output is Punk.
1923		Wodehouse Inimitable Jeeves 36: Even a chappie endowed with the immortal rind of dear old Sid is hardly likely to [...] come back.
1952		W.R. Burnett Little Men, Big World 167: In the 17th you had to be a fighter—you got nothing but the rind and abuse otherwise.
1960		Wodehouse Jeeves in the Offing 163: You have the nerve [...] the audacity [...] the immortal rind.

2. (US black) the human skin.

1924		H.L. Wilson Professor How Could You! 142: Why loaf up and wave his silly flag like a chucklehead (dolt?) If this wasn’t kind-to-animals week I’d go back there and peel his rind off (injure him).
1943		R.L. Bellem ‘Dissolve Shot’ Dan Turner – Hollywood Detective May 🌐 He refused to be insulted; wouldn’t let my contempt get under his rind.
2008		Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) 17 Oct. 🌐 The boykie to take the rind off their pork swords was the young shpeherd lad, David.