sketch
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a simple drawing that is made quickly and does not have many details.
n.a rapidly executed freehand drawing, often serving as a preliminary study rather than a finished work.
Simple“He made a quick sketch of the mountains in his notebook.”
In context“The artist produced several charcoal sketches of the model before committing to the final oil portrait.”
Antonymsmasterpiecefinished work - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a short, funny performance that is part of a larger show.
n.a brief, often humorous or satirical dramatic piece, typically performed as part of a revue or variety programme.
Simple“The comedy show featured a hilarious sketch about a talking dog.”
In context“The satirical sketch mocked the recent political scandals, drawing loud applause from the studio audience.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
v.to make a quick drawing of something.
v.to produce a rough or preliminary drawing of a subject.
Simple“She sketched the old bridge while waiting for the bus.”
In context“The architect sketched the initial floor plan on a napkin during the lunch meeting to illustrate his vision.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to give a short description of something without all the details.
v.to provide a brief or general account of a situation or plan, omitting specific details.
Simple“The manager sketched out the new plan for the team.”
In context“In his opening remarks, the director sketched the historical context of the project before introducing the technical team.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
adj.something that feels unsafe, dishonest, or poorly made.
adj.questionable, suspicious, or unreliable in nature; a shortened form of 'sketchy'.
Simple“I didn't want to go into that dark alley because it looked a bit sketch.”
In context“The website looked a bit sketch, so I decided not to enter my credit card details.”
UsageOften used as a predicative adjective after the verb 'to be' or 'to look'.
Synonyms
“All of them have included fellow members of sketch comedy troupe the State and other cast members from Wet Hot American Summer.”
“Creating props out of hastily sketched illustrations, he takes a drill to the wall to hang up a picture and hoovers the stage (and some of the audience) with gleeful abandon.”
From Dutch schets or German Skizze, from Italian schizzo, from Latin schedium, from Ancient Greek σχέδιος (skhédios, “made suddenly, off-hand”), from σχεδόν (skhedón, “near, nearby”), from ἔχω (ékhō, “to hold”). Compare scheme.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.