1. (n.) The bony and cartilaginous framework which supports the soft parts of a vertebrate animal.

2. (n.) The more or less firm or hardened framework of an invertebrate animal.

3. (n.) A very thin or lean person.

4. (n.) The framework of anything; the principal parts that support the rest, but without the appendages.

5. (n.) The heads and outline of a literary production, especially of a sermon.

6. (a.) Consisting of, or resembling, a skeleton; consisting merely of the framework or outlines; having only certain leading features of anything; as, a skeleton sermon; a skeleton crystal.

abbreviation abbreviature abrege abridgment abstract adumbrate anatomy appendicular skeleton ashes axial skeleton backing barebones bean pole beanstalk bearing block out blueprint body bones brief broomstick brouillon bushing cadaver cadre capsule carcass carrion cartoon case casement casing chalk chart chassis clay clothes pole compend condensation condensed version configuration conspectus contour copy corpse corpus delicti crowbait dead body dead man dead person decedent delineation design diagram digest doorframe draft drawing dry bones dust earth ebauche elevation embalmed corpse epitome esquisse exoskeleton fabric features figuration figure food for worms frame framework framing gestalt graph ground plan gruel head house plan hulk ichnography infrastructure lanky late lamented lath lattice latticework lineaments lines main features mere shadow mere wreck mortal remains mount mounting mummification mummy nervous wreck organic remains outline overview pandect paper pattern picture frame plot precis profile projection rail rake rattlebones rattletrap relics relief reliquiae remains review rough rubric ruin ruins sash setting shadow shapes shaving shell shortened version silhouette skeletal sketch slat slim slip soup spindlelegs spindleshanks splinter stack of bones stiff stilt streak survey syllabus synopsis table tenement of clay the dead the deceased the defunct the departed the loved one thumbnail sketch topical outline tournure twiggy underframe vein wafer walking skeleton window case window frame working drawing wreck