a simply or hastily executed drawing or painting, esp. a preliminary one, giving the essential features without the details.

a rough design, plan, or draft, as of a book.

a brief or hasty outline of facts, occurrences, etc.

a sketch of his life.

a short, usually descriptive, essay, history, or story.

a short play or slight dramatic performance, as one forming part of a vaudeville program.

to make a sketch of.

to set forth in a brief or general account

He sketched his own part in the affair.

Metallurgy . (in a steel mill or the like) to mark (a piece) for cutting.

to make a sketch or sketches.

noun

account , adumbration , aperu , blueprint , cartoon , chart , compendium , configuration , copy , delineation , depiction , description , design , diagram , digest , doodle , draft , figuration , figure , form , illustration , likeness , monograph , painting , picture , piece , plan , portrayal , prcis , report , representation , rough , shape , skeleton , summary , survey , syllabus , version , vignettenotes:though both a sketch and skit are short entertaining presentations , a sketch is usually serious and unrehearsed , while a skit is typically rehearsed and comical , outline , act , skit , draught , drawing , esquisse , scenario

verb

adumbrate , block out * , blueprint * , chalk , characterize , chart , delineate , depict , describe , design , detail , develop , diagram , doodle , draft , lay out * , line , map out , paint , plan , plot , portray , represent , rough out * , skeleton , skeletonize , tracenotes:though both a sketch and skit are short entertaining presentations , a sketch is usually serious and unrehearsed , while a skit is typically rehearsed and comical , block in , outline , rough in , account , blueprint , cartoon , depiction , description , draught , draw , drawing , jot , layout , limn , lineate , map , picture , play , scene , skit , story , summary , trace , vignette