n. & v.
--n.
1. a rough, slight, merely outlined, or unfinished drawing or painting, often made to assist in making a more finished picture.
2 a brief account without many details conveying a general idea of something, a rough draft or general outline.
3 a very short play, usu. humorous and limited to one scene.
4 a short descriptive piece of writing.
5 a musical composition of a single movement.
6 colloq. a comical person or thing.
--v.
1. tr. make or give a sketch of.
2 intr. draw sketches esp. of landscape (went out sketching).
3 tr. (often foll. by in, out) indicate briefly or in outline.
Phrases and idioms:
sketch-book (or -block) a pad of drawing-paper for doing sketches on. sketch-map a roughly-drawn map with few details.
Derivatives:
sketcher n.
Etymology: Du. schets or G Skizze f. It. schizzo f. schizzare make a sketch ult. f. Gk skhedios extempore