I'm looking for more synonyms to that besides "skinny" or "deal"... I'm not sure if there are any, but I'd like to know if there are.
How about poop, dope, or scoop?
Or even, "thing." Or if you're a prescrip, "thang."
The upshot is...
Hmmm. I'm used to hearing it, it looks kinda weird written down.
the 411
EDIT: But the way I've heard them, the expressions you mention mean slightly different things.
"Here's the skinny" is used to say here is the pertinent information.
"Here's the deal" is used to say here is the information about something that has to be done, which you may not like.
skinny: 21st Century Amerislang for lowdown
lowdown: 20th Century Amerislang...
low·down
noun
Definition:
inside information: significant information about somebody or something, especially information that is not widely known (informal)
Ex:She gave me the lowdown on buying a used car
low down, not to be confused with the down low!
word, goods, fair dinkum, chapter and verse, crux, wrinkle
"Here's the skinny" is used to say here is the pertinent information.
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Right. That is to say "the reduced, no fat, version of information transfer.
You know, sorta like "word" and "crux" or better, "nutshell".
But I bet that on the mean streets "skinny" is passe as we speak.
What is the origin of "Skinny" in this meaning?
The Online Etymology Dictionary says that "skinny" in the sense of truth is WWII military slang, and might derive from the idea of the naked truth.