describe

describe, represent, sketch, picture

这些动词均有“描写、描述”之意。
describe: 侧重指描述细节，给读者或听众提供清晰的视觉图像。
represent: 指有代表性或象征性地描述或讲述。
sketch: 指快速地勾勒或概略地叙述。
picture: 着重能够栩栩如生地把事物或场景等描绘出来。

动词 describe:

1. give a description of
   同义词：depict, draw
2. to give an account or representation of in words
   同义词：report, account
3. identify as in botany or biology, for example
   同义词：identify, discover, key, key out, distinguish, name
4. make a mark or lines on a surface
   同义词：trace, draw, line, delineate

1. The falling star described a long curve in the sky.
   流星在空中画出了一道长长的弧线。
2. The police asked me to describe exactly how it happened.
   警察让我描述一下这事是怎样发生的。

de.scribe

v.tr.（及物动词）
de.scribed,de.scrib.ing,de.scribes
To give an account of in speech or writing.
描述：口头或书面描述
To convey an idea or impression of; characterize:
描述，刻画：表达想法或感受；刻画：
例句：
She described her childhood as a time of wonder and discovery.
她将她的少年时代描绘成一个充满幻想和发现的时期

To represent pictorially; depict:
描绘：用画描述；用画表示：
例句：
Goya`s etchings describe the horrors of war in grotesque detail.
戈雅的版画用诡异的风格描绘了战争的恐怖

To trace the form or outline of:
沿着…画：
例句：
describe a circle with a compass.
用圆规画一个圆

来源：
Middle English describen
中古英语 describen
from Latin dôscrobere [to write down]
源自 拉丁语 dôscrobere [写下]
dô- [de-]
dô- [前缀，表.否定，相反.]
scrobere [to write] * see skrobh-
scrobere [写] *参见 skrobh-

【引伸】
describ.able
adj.（形容词）
describ.er
n.（名词）
<参考词汇><同义词>describe,narrate,recite,recount,rehearse,relate,reportThe central meaning shared by these verbs is .to tell the facts, details, or particulars of something verbally or in writing.:
这些动词共有的中心意思是.口头或书面述说事实、细节或特殊之处.：
例句：
described the accident;
描述这场事故；

例句：
narrated their experiences in the Far East;
述说他们在远东的经历；

例句：
an explorer reciting her adventures;
叙说其冒险经历的探险者；

例句：
a mercenary recounting his exploits;
关于他的剥削的唯利是图的描述；

例句：
parents rehearsing the dangers the children faced;
父母们详述了孩子们面临的危险；

例句：
related the day`s events;
详述白天的事；

例句：
came back and reported what she had seen.
回来汇报其所见