Perhaps similar to: "skin alive verb - transitive * to reprimand severely." by WalterGR, Sacramento, CA, USA, Oct 03 2009 (Edit definition) http://onlineslangdictionary.com/definition+of/skin+him+alive In medieval times (during about the 18th Century), some warriors would take body parts as war trophies. "If someone skins you alive, they admonish and punish you hard." http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/skin+someone+alive.html It probably means that the person will "have his skin." Same meaning and graphically, would look the same.

I'll pretend to be him?