Part 440

All this criticism [of Hume] proceeds upon the erroneous hypothesis that he was a dogmatist. He was a skeptic; that is, he accepted the principles asserted by the prevailing dogmatism: and only showed that such and such conclusions were, on these principles, inevitable.

Sir W. Hamilton.

3. (Theol.) A person who doubts the existence and perfections of God, or the truth of revelation; one who disbelieves the divine origin of the Christian religion.

Suffer not your faith to be shaken by the sophistries of skeptics.

S. Clarke.

This word and its derivatives are often written with c instead of k in the first syllable, -- sceptic, sceptical, scepticism, etc. Dr. Johnson, struck with the extraordinary irregularity of giving c its hard sound before e, altered the spelling, and his example has been followed by most of the lexicographers who have succeeded him; yet the prevalent practice among English writers and printers is in favor of the other mode. In the United States this practice is reversed, a large and increasing majority of educated persons preferring the orthography which is most in accordance with etymology and analogy.

Syn. -- Infidel; unbeliever; doubter. -- See Infidel.

{ Skep"tic (?), Skep"tic*al (?), } a. [Written also sceptic, sceptical.] 1. Of or pertaining to a sceptic or skepticism; characterized by skepticism; hesitating to admit the certainly of doctrines or principles; doubting of everything.

2. (Theol.) Doubting or denying the truth of revelation, or the sacred Scriptures.

The skeptical system subverts the whole foundation of morals.

R. Hall.

-- Skep"tac*al*ly, adv. -- Skep"tic*al*ness, n.

Skep"ti*cism (?), n. [Cf. F. scepticisme.] [Written also scepticism.] 1. An undecided, inquiring state of mind; doubt; uncertainty.

That momentary amazement, and irresolution, and confusion, which is the result of skepticism.

Hune.

2. (Metaph.) The doctrine that no fact or principle can be certainly known; the tenet that all knowledge is uncertain; Pyrrohonism; universal doubt; the position that no fact or truth, however worthy of confidence, can be established on philosophical grounds; critical investigation or inquiry, as opposed to the positive assumption or assertion of certain principles.

3. (Theol.) A doubting of the truth of revelation, or a denial of the divine origin of the Christian religion, or of the being, perfections, or truth of God.

Let no . . . secret skepticism lead any one to doubt whether this blessed prospect will be realized.

S. Miller.

Skep"ti*cize (?), v. i. To doubt; to pretend to doubt of everything. [R.]

To skepticize, where no one else will . . . hesitate.

Shaftesbury.

Sker"ry (?), n.; pl. Skerries (#). [Of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. sker, Sw. skär, Dan. ski&?;r. Cf. Scar a bank.] A rocky isle; an insulated rock. [Scot.]

Sketch (?), n. [D. schets, fr. It. schizzo a sketch, a splash (whence also F. esquisse; cf. Esquisse.); cf. It. schizzare to splash, to sketch.] An outline or general delineation of anything; a first rough or incomplete draught or plan of any design; especially, in the fine arts, such a representation of an object or scene as serves the artist's purpose by recording its chief features; also, a preliminary study for an original work.

Syn. -- Outline; delineation; draught; plan; design. -- Sketch, Outline, Delineation. An outline gives only the bounding lines of some scene or picture. A sketch fills up the outline in part, giving broad touches, by which an imperfect idea may be conveyed. A delineation goes further, carrying out the more striking features of the picture, and going so much into detail as to furnish a clear conception of the whole. Figuratively, we may speak of the outlines of a plan, of a work, of a project, etc., which serve as a basis on which the subordinate parts are formed, or of sketches of countries, characters, manners, etc., which give us a general idea of the things described. Crabb.

Sketch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sketched (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Sketching.] [Cf D. schetsen, It. schizzare. See Sketch, n.] 1. To draw the outline or chief features of; to make a rought of.

2. To plan or describe by giving the principal points or ideas of.

Syn. -- To delineate; design; draught; depict.