Flaking is a process that can be used to describe a variety of different activities. PEELING, SHEDDING, and CRACKING are all forms of flaking. PEELING is the act of removing a thin layer of material from a surface, such as PEELING an apple or removing paint from a wall. SHEDDING is the process of releasing something, such as a snake SHEDDING its skin or a tree SHEDDING its leaves. CRACKING is the act of breaking something into smaller pieces, such as CRACKING an egg or CRACKING a nut. All of these activities can be described as flaking.