SKETCH

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does sketch mean? 

• SKETCH (noun)
  The noun SKETCH has 4 senses:

1. preliminary drawing for later elaboration

2. a brief literary description

3. short descriptive summary (of events)

4. a humorous or satirical drawing published in a newspaper or magazine

  Familiarity information: SKETCH used as a noun is uncommon.

• SKETCH (verb)
  The verb SKETCH has 2 senses:

1. make a sketch of

2. describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of

  Familiarity information: SKETCH used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SKETCH (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Preliminary drawing for later elaboration

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

sketch; study

Context example:

he made several studies before starting to paint

Hypernyms ("sketch" is a kind of...):

drawing (a representation of forms or objects on a surface by means of lines)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sketch"):

design (a preliminary sketch indicating the plan for something)

draft; rough drawing (a preliminary sketch of a design or picture)

vignette (a small illustrative sketch (as sometimes placed at the beginning of chapters in books))

Derivation:

sketch (make a sketch of)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A brief literary description

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

sketch; vignette

Hypernyms ("sketch" is a kind of...):

description (the act of describing something)

Derivation:

sketch (describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Short descriptive summary (of events)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

resume; sketch; survey

Hypernyms ("sketch" is a kind of...):

sum-up; summary (a brief statement that presents the main points in a concise form)

Derivation:

sketch (describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of)

sketchy (giving only major points; lacking completeness)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A humorous or satirical drawing published in a newspaper or magazine

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

cartoon; sketch

Hypernyms ("sketch" is a kind of...):

humor; humour; wit; witticism; wittiness (a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sketch"):

anime (a style of animation developed in Japan, characterized by stylized colorful art and often adult themes)

cartoon strip; comic strip; funnies; strip (a sequence of drawings telling a story in a newspaper or comic book)

Holonyms ("sketch" is a part of...):

publication (a copy of a printed work offered for distribution)

• SKETCH (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they sketch    ... he / she / it sketches   
Past simple: sketched   
Past participle: sketched   
-ing form: sketching   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make a sketch of

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

chalk out; sketch

Context example:

sketch the building

Hypernyms (to "sketch" is one way to...):

draw (represent by making a drawing of, as with a pencil, chalk, etc. on a surface)

Domain category:

art; artistic creation; artistic production (the creation of beautiful or significant things)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

sketch (preliminary drawing for later elaboration)

sketcher (an implement for sketching)

sketcher (someone who draws sketches)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

adumbrate; outline; sketch

Context example:

outline his ideas

Hypernyms (to "sketch" is one way to...):

depict; describe; draw (give a description of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sketch"):

block out (indicate roughly)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

sketch (short descriptive summary (of events))

sketch (a brief literary description)

 Context examples 

It was not, however, until he sketched the mysteries of the central lake that the full interest and enthusiasm of the audience were aroused.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She went on sketching; I went on thinking.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

They are wild to see the river, sketch the broken bridge, and copy some of the things they admire in my book.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Just give us some short sketches of the essentials.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

In Edward—she knew not what she saw, nor what she wished to see;—happy or unhappy,—nothing pleased her; she turned away her head from every sketch of him.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Let me give you a short sketch of what I have done, with some indication of what we are about to do.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Everything, however, went on smoothly, and was finally settled according to Charlotte's first sketch.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

That may be—but not by sketches in Swisserland.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Then, if you are not too sleepy, I will give you a sketch of what has happened, and of what remains to be done.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The act of working out the form of something (as by making a sketch or outline or plan) or the result of this activity.

(Design, NCI Thesaurus)