sketchn.
/skɛtʃ/, U.S. /skɛtʃ/ 1. † b. (See quot. 1688) Obsolete. rare.Apparently only attested in dictionaries or glossaries.
a. A rough drawing or delineation of something, giving the outlines or prominent features without the detail, esp. one intended to serve as the basis of a more finished picture, or to be used in its composition; a rough draught or design. Also, in later use, a drawing or painting of a slight or unpretentious nature.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > drawing > [noun] > a drawing > rough or preliminary
skiagraphy1594
model1613
shadow1656
sketch1668
cartoona1684
schizzo1686
ébauche1722
scratch1752
croquis1805
galloping sketch1834
pochade1846
abbozzo1849
scribbling1863
thumbnail sketch1900
under-drawing1934
bozzetto1935
pensiero1959
α. 1668 [see sense 2a].
β. 1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot Trav. into Levant ii. 145 I have made a little Sketch of this which will serve to give an Idea of those of Tschehel-minar.1711 A. Pope Ess. Crit. 4 As the slightest Sketch, if justly trac'd, Is by ill Colouring but the more disgrac'd.1751 T. Hollis in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eminent Literary Men (1843) (Camden) 380 The Designs that have been taken of them hitherto, have been rather Sketches..than accurate and exact Plans.1794 A. Radcliffe Myst. of Udolpho III. vii. 212 In these little sketches she generally placed interesting groups, characteristic of the scenery they animated.1819 W. Scott Let. 15 Apr. (1933) V. 350 Constable has offerd Allan three hundred pounds to make sketches for an edition of the Tales of My Landlord.1863 ‘G. Eliot’ Romola I. xviii. 309 All about the walls hung pen and oil sketches of fantastic sea-monsters.in extended use.1713 J. Gay in Guardian 1 Sept. 1/1 We have a kind of Sketch of Dress, if I may so call it, among us, which..is called a Dishabille.1831 W. Scott Count Robert iii, in Tales of my Landlord 4th Ser. I. 83 But in this respect his fancy probably filled up the sketch which his conjectures bodied out.1864 J. R. Lowell Fireside Trav. 242 His [sc. the donkey's] bray is..an experimental sketch for the neigh of her finished animal.1682 G. Wheler Journey into Greece Pref. sig. Biv Both he that designed it from my Scetch, and the Engraver after him.
1694 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 18 179 This..moulding..would be far better exprest by a Scetch that should..represent the bottom and top of two of them.
ΚΠ
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory iii. 149/1 Schetches, are touches on a Paper with the point of a Charcoal in drawing out of any Figure, and so by little and little running over the whole Work.
2. (b)1758 J. Armstrong Sketches Pref. p. v The Author of the following Papers chuses to call them Sketches.1836 C. Dickens (title) Sketches by ‘Boz’.1876 D. Donovan (title) Sketches in Carbery, Co. Cork; its Antiquities [etc.].
a. A brief account, description, or narrative giving the main or important facts, incidents, etc., and not going into the details; a short or superficial essay or study, frequently in plural as a title.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > narration > description or act of describing > [noun] > outlining or sketching > sketch or brief description
adumbration1552
specimen1665
sketch1668
superficies1670
silhouette1819
outline sketch1835
thumbnail1900
1668 P. M. Myst. & Miracles Love vi. 76 in W. Charleton Ephesian & Cimmerian Matrons Whereof I have here drawn no perfect Picture, but only a rude Scetch.
1715 R. Bentley Serm. Popery 26 After this short but true sketch of Popery.
1744 J. Harris Three Treat. i. 12 Thus..have you had exhibited a sort of Sketch of Art. You must remember however, it is but a Sketch: there is still something wanting to make it a finished Piece.
1780 Mirror No. 96 I offer you a small sketch of an incident, supposed to have happened in the times of our forefathers.
1831 D. E. Williams Life Sir T. Lawrence II. 301 [This] renders necessary some sketch of the establishment of the Academy of painting in Ireland.
1867 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest I. Introd. 6 Here our narrative, even as the merest sketch, comes to its natural close.
b. The general plan or outline, the main features, of anything. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > intention > planning > [noun] > a plan
redeeOE
devicec1290
casta1300
went1303
ordinancec1385
intentc1386
imaginationa1393
drifta1535
draught1535
forecast1535
platform1547
ground-plat?a1560
table1560
convoy1565
design1565
plat1574
ground-plota1586
plot1587
reach1587
theory1593
game1595
projectment1611
projecting1616
navation1628
approach1633
view1634
plan1635
systema1648
sophism1657
manage1667
brouillon1678
speculationa1684
sketch1697
to take measures1698
method1704
scheme1704
lines1760
outline1760
measure1767
restorative1821
ground plan1834
strategy1834
programme1837
ticket1842
project1849
outline plan1850
layout1867
draft1879
dart1882
lurk1916
schema1939
lick1955
1697 J. Addison Ess. Georgics in J. Dryden tr. Virgil Wks. sig. ¶¶1v We are beholding to him [sc. Theocritus] for the first rough sketch of a Georgic.
1803 G. Ellis Let. in J. G. Lockhart Mem. Life Sir W. Scott (1837) I. xi. 394 If the sketch of that story was previously known.
1813 J. Austen Pride & Prejudice II. iv. 42 Every thing..was finally settled according to Charlotte's first sketch . View more context for this quotation
3. Music.
a. A short piece, usually for the pianoforte, either slight in construction or vividly descriptive.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > piece of music > type of piece > [noun] > short piece
sketchc1840
miniature1930
c1840 Sir W. S. Bennett (title) Three Musical Sketches.
b. A preliminary study made during the progress of, or in preparation for, a finished work or composition.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > written or printed music > [noun] > composer's notebook > preliminary sketch
sketch1883
1883 G. Grove Dict. Music III. 528 The Movement..affords us examples both of preliminary sketches and an amended whole.
1883 G. Grove Dict. Music III. 529 The volume presents some intensely interesting sketches for an Andante.
4. A short play or performance of slight dramatic construction and usually of a light or comic nature (see quot. 1892); also, a musical performance by one person, in which playing, singing, and talking are combined.
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society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > a play > [noun] > a comedy > other types of comedy
Old Comedy1529
New Comedy1542
comedy of errors?1595
romantic comedy1748
musical comedy1765
comédie larmoyante1773
sketch1789
serio-comedy1808
vaudeville1827
teacup-and-saucer comedy1842
satyr play1845
Restoration comedy1866
zarzuela1888
situation comedy1893
sex comedy1915
sitcom1956
society > leisure > the arts > music > type of music > vocal music > opera > [noun] > musical play
musical comedy1765
sketch1861
music drama1874
singspiel1876
1789 W. Dunlap Darby's Return (title page) A comic sketch. As performed..for the benefit of Mr. Wignell.
1829 H. Foote Compan. to Theatres 74 Satirical sketches, or slight comic pieces on the follies of the day, have likewise been produced here with good effect.
1861 H. Mayhew London Labour (new ed.) III. 132/2 We always did ‘a laughable sketch entitled Billy Button's ride to Brentford’.
1881 Daily Tel. 27 Dec. Mr. Corney Grain..now gives a supplementary musical sketch, entitled ‘Master Tommy's Theatricals’.
1892 Daily News 3 June 2/2 ‘Sketches’—the new name for small or condensed, and in some cases, mutilated stage plays, the acting time of which shall not be more than 40 minutes, and the performers in which shall not be more than six.
5. slang. A small quantity; a drop.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > smallness of quantity, amount, or degree > [noun] > a small quantity or amount
speckc725
littleOE
somethingc1200
lutewihtc1230
little whatc1384
ouncec1387
lap1393
smalla1400
modicumc1400
nekedc1400
spota1413
tinec1420
nieveful?a1425
handfulc1443
mouthful?c1450
smatchc1456
weec1480
quern1503
halfpennyworth1533
groatsworth1562
dram1566
shellful1578
trickle1580
snatch1592
sprinkling1594
fleck1598
snip1598
pittance1600
lick1603
fingerful1604
modicum1606
thimbleful1607
flash1614
dasha1616
pipa1616
pickle1629
drachm1635
cue1654
smack1693
starn1720
bit1753
kenning1787
minikin1787
tate1805
starnie1808
sprat1815
harl1821
skerrick1825
smallums1828
huckleberry1832
scrimp1840
thimble1841
smite1843
nattering1859
sensation1859
spurt1859
pauchlea1870
mention1891
sketch1894
sputterings1894
scrappet1901
titch1937
tad1940
skosh1959
smattering1973
1894 J. D. Astley Fifty Years of my Life II. 258 I have had..just a sketch of whisky with water from the burn.
6. A ridiculous sight, a very amusing person; so hot sketch, a comical or colourful person. slang.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > excitement > pleasurable excitement > [noun] > thrill of > thing or person causing
hot sketch1917
gasser1944
gas1957
the mind > emotion > pleasure > laughter > causing laughter > [noun] > one who or that which is comical
comedy1535
toy1542
jest1602
joke1670
comic1674
high comedy1707
humorous1753
comicality1796
funny1852
funniosity1871
hot sketch1917
pisser1918
riot1919
panic1921
cocasserie1934
yell1938
mess1952
crack-up1961
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > derision, ridicule, or mockery > fact or condition of being mocked or ridiculed > [noun] > state or quality of being ridiculous > ridiculous person
didapper1589
antic1597
zany1606
balatron1623
figure of fun1811
sketch1917
Herbert1960
1917 S. Lewis Job xx. 299 You women cer'nly are a sketch!
1921 H. C. Witwer Leather Pushers x. 269 This Roberts is a hot sketch for a fighter, anyways!
1925 E. Hemingway In our Time (1926) 84 You're a hot sketch. Who the hell asked you to butt in here?
1926 G. H. Maines & B. Grant Wise-crack Dict. 9/2 He's a sketch, he's comical.
1930 J. Dos Passos 42nd Parallel v. 399 ‘He's a hot sketch,’ said one of the girls to the other.
1930 J. B. Priestley Angel Pavement xi. 604 You do look a sight, Dad... I never saw such a sketch.
Compounds
attributive and in other combinations, as sketch-block, sketch-box, sketch-map, sketch-pad [pad n.3] , sketch-paper, sketch-plan.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > equipment for painting or drawing > [noun] > surface for painting or drawing > paper > drawing book
drawing book1672
flower-book1753
sketchbook1837
block1865
sketching-block1865
sketch-pad1961
1782 R. Cumberland Anecd. Painters (1787) I. 194 His figures..are slight and sketch-like.
1872 R. B. Smyth Mining Statist. 38 The geological sketch-map, which accompanies this paper.
1886 Guide Exhib. Galleries Brit. Mus. 235 A sketch-plan of the Battle of Aboukir.
1888 Lockwood's Dict. Mech. Engin. Sketch Paper, foolscap paper having faint lines crossing at right angles, producing squares of 1 inch, each divided into eight equal parts. Used for proportional drawing or sketching.
1892 Daily News 19 May 2/4 The practice of sketch artists, sketch authors, and sketch managers has been..to pay copyright fees.
1893 Photogr. Ann. 281 You must..practise with a pencil and sketch-block the..foreshortening of objects.
1902 Chambers's Jrnl. Dec. 779/1 The girl lingered while the painter unpacked his sketch-box.
1961 M. Spark Prime of Miss Jean Brodie iii. 64 I went to get a new sketch pad.
1981 Listener 5 Nov. 546/2 The drawings..offering imaginative ideas to any child with a sketch-pad.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1911; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
sketchv.
/skɛtʃ/, U.S. /skɛtʃ/ 1.
a. transitive. To describe briefly, generally, or in outline; to give the essential facts or points of, without going into details; to outline.
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the mind > language > speech > narration > description or act of describing > describe [verb (transitive)] > sketch or outline
to shape forth1579
sketch1694
sketch1695
outline1855
1695 J. Dryden in tr. C. A. Du Fresnoy De Arte Graphica Pref. p. xii To contemplate those Idea's; which I have onely sketch'd, and which every man must finish for himself.
1751 J. Harris Hermes i. ii. 19 Now a Sentence..may be sketch'd in the following description.
1814 W. Scott Let. 10 Nov. (1932) III. 515 The language most animated and poetical; and the characters sketched with a masterly enthusiasm.
1841–4 R. W. Emerson Ess. xix, in Wks. (1906) I. 237 The history of the State sketches in coarse outline the progress of thought.
1868 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest (1877) II. 285 The history of the city will be more fittingly sketched at another stage.
b. With out (cf. 2a).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > narration > description or act of describing > describe [verb (transitive)] > sketch or outline
to shape forth1579
sketch1694
sketch1695
outline1855
1694 W. Salmon Pharmacopœia Bateana Ep. Ded. sig. A3 Could I but scetch out a faint Idea of Your Glorious Actions.
a1779 W. Warburton Wks. (1811) X. 201 I have at present nothing to do with its various abominations, here sketched out.
1847 L. Hunt Men, Women, & Bks. II. xii. 302 To sketch out..what we conceive to be a better mode of supplying some account of Madame de Sévigné.
1867 J. Ruskin Time & Tide xxiii. §154 I have sketched out this scheme for you somewhat prematurely.
2. To draw the outline or prominent features of (a picture, figure, etc.), esp. as preliminary or preparatory to further development; to make a sketch or rough draught of (something); to draw or paint in this manner.in extended use.1817 W. Hazlitt Characters Shakespear's Plays 265 This is little more than the first outlines of a comedy loosely sketched in.in extended use.1847 T. De Quincey Spanish Mil. Nun vi She had soon sketched and finished a dashing pair of Wellington trousers.
a. With adverbs, as in, out, over.
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society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > drawing > draw [verb (transitive)] > roughly or rapidly
to shade out1591
to score out1615
to strike out1678
scribble1692
sketch1725
sketch1786
to rough in1826
cartoon1887
1725 I. Watts Logick ii. iii. 297 Some admirable Design sketch'd out only with a black Pencil on a coarse Paper, though by the Hand of Raphael.
1801 Farmer's Mag. Jan. 66 For this purpose, a map of the soil is sketched out—we presume, from imagination.
1831 D. E. Williams Life Sir T. Lawrence I. 331 The pupil confined himself to pen and ink drawings, sketched over with Indian ink and bistre.
1886 G. Allen For Maimie's Sake i He sketched in lightly the face and figure.
b. Without qualifying term.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > drawing > draw [verb (transitive)] > roughly or rapidly
to shade out1591
to score out1615
to strike out1678
scribble1692
sketch1725
sketch1786
to rough in1826
cartoon1887
1786 J. Reynolds Notes Mason's tr. Dufresnoy xi The method of Rubens was to sketch his compositions in colours.
1807 C. Hutton Course Math. (ed. 3) II. 73 Sketching on the sides the shape or resemblance of the fences or boundaries.
1855 Ld. Tennyson Brook in Maud & Other Poems 106 Sketching with her slender pointed foot Some figure..On garden gravel.
1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps i. xxvii. 213 I sketched some of the crystals.
c. intransitive. To admit of sketching.
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society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > drawing > draw [verb (intransitive)] > sketch > admit of being sketched
sketch1883
1883 ‘Holme Lee’ Loving & Serving I. ii. 27 Those poke bonnets..sketched well.
3.
a. intransitive or absol. To practise sketching; to draw or paint sketches.
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society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > drawing > draw [verb (intransitive)] > sketch
sketch1874
1874 R. St. J. Tyrwhitt Our Sketching Club 29 If you will only practise measuring heights and distances with thumb and pencil, whenever you sketch.
b. To proceed in a sketchy manner. (Cf. sketch n. 4.)
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > acting > act [verb (intransitive)] > in specific manner
to tear a (the) cat1600
to top one's part1672
to walk through ——1824
corpse1874
sketch1888
underplay1896
to play for laughs (also a laugh)1900
register1913
scene-steal1976
1888 W. D. Howells Annie Kilburn xv We have to cut some of the business between Romeo and Juliet, because it's too long, you know... But we sketch along through the play.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1911; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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