<B>skeleton clock,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a clock that has no case, so that the interior wheelwork is visible. </DL>
<A NAME="skeletonconstruction">
<B>skeleton construction,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a type of construction, especially for skyscrapers, in which all loads are transmitted to the foundation by a framework of beams, girders, and columns. </DL>
<A NAME="skeletonic">
<B>skeletonic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>of a skeleton; like that of a skeleton. <DD><B> 2. </B>skeletonlike; meager. </DL>
<A NAME="skeletonize">
<B>skeletonize, </B>verb, <B>-ized,</B> <B>-izing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to make a skeleton of; reduce to a skeleton. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) to draw up in outline; sketch out; outline. <BR> <I>Ex. a skeletonized report.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>(Figurative.) to reduce greatly in numbers. <DD><I>v.i. </I> to become a skeleton. </DL>
<A NAME="skeletonizer">
<B>skeletonizer, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an insect which reduces leaves to skeletons. </DL>
<A NAME="skeletonkey">
<B>skeleton key,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a key made to open many locks. A skeleton key is often a thin, light key with most of the bit filed away. </DL>
<A NAME="skell">
<B>skell, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (U.S. Slang.) a derelict living in a city subway system. <BR> <I>Ex. "Wolfman Jack" is a skell, living underground at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station in Brooklyn, on the GG line. The police there give him food and clothes (New York Times Magazine).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="skellum">
<B>skellum, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Archaic.) a rascal; scamp. </DL>
<A NAME="skelp">
<B>skelp</B> (1), noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Scottish.) <DD><I>noun </I> a slapping blow or noise; smack. <DD><I>v.t. </I> to slap; smack. <BR> <I>Ex. In the year you refer to ... I was getting skelped in the parish school (Robert Louis Stevenson).</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> to hurry. <BR> <I>Ex. Skelping about here, destroying the few deer that are left (Scott).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="skelp">
<B>skelp</B> (2), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a strip of steel or iron used to make a pipe or tube. </DL>
<A NAME="skelter">
<B>skelter, </B>intransitive verb.<DL COMPACT><DD> to dash along; rush; hurry. </DL>
<A NAME="skeltonic">
<B>Skeltonic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of, having to do with, or characteristic of John Skelton, the English poet, 1460?-1529, or his writings. </DL>
<A NAME="skeltonics">
<B>Skeltonics, </B>noun pl.<DL COMPACT><DD> short, irregular lines of verse with frequent recurrence of the same rhyme. </DL>
<A NAME="skene">
<B>skene</B> (1), noun, pl. <B>-nai,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the stage of an ancient Greek theater. </DL>
<A NAME="skene">
<B>skene</B> (2), noun. =skean.</DL>
<A NAME="skep">
<B>skep, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B><B>=beehive.</B> <DD><B> 2. </B>a large, deep basket; hamper. <DD><B> 3. </B>the quantity of coal, grain, or other loose material held by a container of a certain size. </DL>
<B>Skeptic, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a member or adherent of an ancient Greek school of philosophy that maintained that real knowledge of things is impossible. Also, <B>Sceptic.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="skeptic">
<B>skeptic, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a person who questions the truth of theories or apparent facts; doubter. <BR> <I>Ex. The skeptic doth neither affirm, neither deny, any position; but doubteth of it (Sir Walter Raleigh).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a person who doubts or questions the possibility or certainty of our knowledge of anything. <DD><B> 3. </B>a person who doubts the truth of religious doctrines, or of religion in general. <BR> <I>Ex. The smugness has gone out of cynicism and the skeptics are asking the questions which will lead at length to affirmation of some kind (Atlantic).</I> (SYN) unbeliever, disbeliever, agnostic. <DD><I>adj. </I> doubting; skeptical. Also, <B>sceptic.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="skeptical">
<B>skeptical, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>of or like a skeptic; inclined to doubt; not believing easily. <BR> <I>Ex. a skeptical person.</I> (SYN) doubting, incredulous, disbelieving, distrustful. <DD><B> 2. </B>questioning the truth of theories or apparent facts. <BR> <I>Ex. a skeptical remark, a skeptical approach.</I> <DD> Also, <B>sceptical.</B> adv. <B>skeptically.</B> noun <B>skepticalness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="skepticism">
<B>skepticism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>skeptical attitude; doubt; unbelief. <BR> <I>Ex. A wise skepticism is the first attribute of a good critic (Lowell). His skepticism made him distrustful of dreamy meddlers (Atlantic).</I> (SYN) incredulity, mistrust, distrust. <DD><B> 2. </B>doubt or disbelief with regard to religion. <BR> <I>Ex. Since skepticism was current, even during the Middle Ages, there were those who scoffed (Newsweek).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>the philosophical doctrine that nothing can be proved absolutely, and thus real knowledge of any kind is impossible. Also, <B>scepticism.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="skepticize">
<B>skepticize, </B>intransitive verb, <B>-cized,</B> <B>-cizing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> to act the skeptic; doubt; profess to doubt of everything. Also, <B>scepticize.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="skerrick">
<B>skerrick, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Australian.) the least possible amount; smallest piece. <BR> <I>Ex. There isn't a skerrick of meat in the pot.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="skerry">
<B>skerry, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ries.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Scottish.) an isolated rock, a rocky island, or a reef. </DL>
<A NAME="sketch">
<B>sketch, </B>noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a rough, quickly done drawing, painting, clay model, or design. <BR> <I>Ex. The artist made many sketches in pencil before painting the portrait.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>an outline; plan. <BR> <I>Ex. Give me a sketch of his career.</I> (SYN) draft, brief. <DD><B> 3. </B>a short description, story, or account. <BR> <I>Ex. He gave us a sketch of the accident leaving out the gory details.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>a short play or performance, usually of light or comic nature. <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to make a sketch of; draw roughly. <BR> <I>Ex. He sketched the mountains many times before making a painting of them.</I> (SYN) outline, delineate. <DD><B> 2. </B>to describe briefly, generally, or in outline. <BR> <I>Ex. Montesquieu sketched a government which should make liberty its end (George Bancroft).</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> to make a sketch; draw, paint, or model sketches. <BR> <I>Ex. She sketched for several hours before drawing the final plans.</I> noun <B>sketcher.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="sketchable">
<B>sketchable, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> suitable for being sketched. </DL>
<A NAME="sketchblock">
<B>sketchblock, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a pad of paper for sketching on. </DL>
<A NAME="sketchbook">
<B>sketchbook, </B>noun, or <B>sketch book,</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a book to draw or paint sketches in. <BR> <I>Ex. In the sketchbook were 35 exquisite drawings no bigger than his hand (Time).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a book of short descriptions, stories, or plays. <BR> <I>Ex. Washington Irving's "Sketch Book."</I> </DL>
<A NAME="sketchily">
<B>sketchily, </B>adverb.<DL COMPACT><DD> in a sketchy manner. <BR> <I>Ex. (Figurative.) a sketchily planned trip.</I> (SYN) incompletely, slightly, imperfectly. </DL>
<A NAME="sketchiness">
<B>sketchiness, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the condition or quality of being sketchy. </DL>
<A NAME="sketchmap">
<B>sketch map,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a map prepared without accurate measurement. </DL>
<A NAME="sketchplan">
<B>sketch plan,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the first plan of a building, design; etc., suggesting matter to be developed in later detailed drawings. </DL>
<A NAME="sketchy">
<B>sketchy, </B>adjective, <B>sketchier,</B> <B>sketchiest.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>like a sketch; having or giving only outlines or main features. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) incomplete; done very roughly; slight; imperfect. <BR> <I>Ex. a sketchy recollection of an event, a sketchy costume. In his hurry he had only a sketchy meal.</I> (SYN) unfinished, crude. </DL>
<A NAME="skete">
<B>skete, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a community of monks or hermits of the Greek Church. </DL>
<A NAME="skew">
<B>skew, </B>adjective, noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>twisted to one side; slanting. (SYN) askew, awry. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Geometry.) not included in the same plane. <BR> <I>Ex. Skew lines do not intersect and are not parallel.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>having a part that deviates from a straight line, right angle, or the like. <BR> <I>Ex. a skew chisel, a skew facet.</I> (SYN) crooked, bent. <DD><B> 4. </B>not symmetrical. <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a slant; twist. <BR> <I>Ex. As alignment is lost, flutter and skew set in (Scientific American).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a sideward movement. <DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>to slant; twist. <DD><B> 2. </B>to turn aside; swerve. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Figurative.) to look suspiciously or slightingly. <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to give a slanting form, position or direction, to. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) to represent unfairly; distort. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Statistics.) to cause (a normal curve or distribution) to taper off to the right or left. <BR><I>expr. <B>on the</B> (or <B>a</B>) <B>skew,</B> </I>on the slant; slantwise. <BR> <I>Ex. Over the Lune, which is crossed on the skew, the span is 350 ft. (London Times).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="skewarch">
<B>skew arch,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> an arch whose axis is not perpendicular to the face of the wall or member against which it abuts. </DL>
<A NAME="skewback">
<B>skewback, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a sloping surface against which the end of an arch rests. <BR> <I>Ex. This skewback bearing is intended to support the end reactions of a road bridge ... (New Science).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a stone, course of masonry, iron plate, or the like, with such a surface. </DL>
<A NAME="skewbald">
<B>skewbald, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> (of horses) irregularly marked with patches of white, brown, or red. <DD><I>noun </I> a skewbald horse. <BR> <I>Ex. Crompton, on his skewbald, was the only scorer (London Times).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="skewcurve">
<B>skew curve,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a curve in three dimensions. </DL>
