SKETCH, skech, _n._ a first draft of any plan or painting: an outline, a
short and slightly constructed play, essay, &c.: a short dramatic scene for
representation by two persons: an artist's preliminary study of a work to
be elaborated.--_v.t._ to make a rough draft of: to draw the outline: to
give the principal points of.--_v.i._ to practise sketching.--_adj._
SKETCH'ABLE, capable of being sketched effectively.--_ns._ SKETCH'BOOK, a
blank book used for sketching by an artist or writer: a printed volume of
literary sketches; SKETCH'ER, one who sketches.--_adv._ SKETCH'ILY.--_n._
SKETCH'INESS.--_adj._ SKETCH'Y, containing a sketch or outline: incomplete,
slight. [Dut. _schets_, It. _schizzo_--L. _schedium_--_schedius_, made
off-hand--Gr. _schedios_, sudden.]
SKEW, sk[=u], _adj._ oblique: intersecting a road, river, &c. not at right
angles, as a bridge.--_adv._ awry: obliquely.--_v.t._ to turn aside.--_n._
a deviation, a mistake: a squint: (_archit._) the sloping top of a buttress
slanting off against a wall.--_ns._ SKEW'-ARCH, an arch standing obliquely
on its abutments; SKEW'-BACK (_archit._), the course of masonry on the top
of an abutment with a slope for the base of the arch to rest
against.--_adj._ SKEW'-BALD, spotted irregularly, piebald.--_n._
SKEW'-BRIDGE, a bridge having its arch or arches set obliquely on its
abutments, as when a railway crosses a road, &c., at an oblique
angle.--_adjs._ SKEWED, distorted; SKEW-GEE' (_coll._), crooked.--_n._
SKEW'-WHEEL, a bevel-wheel with teeth formed obliquely on the rim. [Old
Dut. _sch[=u]wen_ (Dut. _schuwen_); Ger. _scheuen_, to shun; cf. _Shy_.]
SKEWER, sk[=u]'[.e]r, _n._ a pin of wood or iron for keeping meat in form
while roasting.--_v.t._ to fasten with skewers. [Prov. Eng. _skiver_, prob.
the same as _shiver_, a splinter of wood.]
SKIASCOPY, sk[=i]'a-sk[=o]-pi, _n._ the shadow-test for measuring the
refraction of an eye.--Also SC[=I]'ASCOPY. [Gr. _skia_, a shadow,
_skopein_, to view.]
SKID, skid, _n._ a piece of timber hung against a ship's side to protect it
from injury: a sliding wedge or drag to check the wheel of a wagon on a
steep place: a slab put below a gun to keep it off the ground.--_v.t._ to
check with a skid.--_v.i._ to slide along without revolving.--_n._
SKID'DER, one who uses a skid. [Scand., Ice. _skídh_; A.S. _scíd_, a piece
split off.]
SKIEY, sk[=i]'i, _adj._ Same as SKYEY.