Adjacent Words

Arch definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

'ARCH, n. [See Arc.]
1. A segment or part of a circle. A concave or hollow structure of stone or brick, supported by its own curve. It may be constructed of wood, and supported by the mechanism of the work. This species of structure is much used in bridges.
A vault is properly a board arch.
2. The space between two piers of a bridge, when arched; or any place covered with an arch.
3. Any curvature, in form of an arch.
4. The vault of heaven, or sky.
Triumphal arches are magnificent structures at the entrance of cities, erected to adorn a triumph and perpetuate the memory of the event.
'ARCH, v.t. To cover with an arch; to form with a curve; as to arch a gate.
'ARCH, v.i. To make an arch or arches; as, to arch beneath the sand.
'ARCH, a. [L. arcus, a bow; Eng. rogue.]
Cunning; sly; shrewd; waggish; mischievous for sport; mirthful; as we say in popular language, roguish; as an arch lad.
'ARCH, a. Used also in composition. [Gr. chief.]
Chief; of the first class; principal; as, an arch deed.
Shakespeare uses this word as a noun; "My worthy arch and patrons;" but the use is not authorized.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: (used of behavior or attitude) characteristic of those who treat others with condescension [syn: arch, condescending, patronizing, patronising]
2: expert in skulduggery; "an arch criminal"
3: naughtily or annoyingly playful; "teasing and worrying with impish laughter"; "a wicked prank" [syn: arch, impish, implike, mischievous, pixilated, prankish, puckish, wicked] n
1: a curved shape in the vertical plane that spans an opening
2: a curved bony structure supporting or enclosing organs (especially the inner sides of the feet)
3: a passageway under a curved masonry construction; "they built a triumphal arch to memorialize their victory" [syn: arch, archway]
4: (architecture) a masonry construction (usually curved) for spanning an opening and supporting the weight above it v
1: form an arch or curve; "her back arches"; "her hips curve nicely" [syn: arch, curve, arc]

Merriam Webster's

abbreviation Archbishop

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English arche, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *arca, from Latin arcus — more at arrow Date: 14th century 1. a typically curved structural member spanning an opening and serving as a support (as for the wall or other weight above the opening) 2. a. something resembling an arch in form or function; especially either of two vaulted portions of the bony structure of the foot that impart elasticity to it b. a curvature having the form of an arch 3. archway II. verb Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to cover or provide with an arch 2. to form into an arch intransitive verb 1. to form an arch 2. to take an arch-shaped course III. adjective Etymology: ¹arch- Date: 1547 1. principal, chief <your arch opponent> 2. a. mischievous, saucy b. marked by a deliberate and often forced playfulness, irony, or impudence <known for her arch comments> <decided to answer them by being teacherly in a sort of arch, Olympian way — Gerald Early> • archness noun IV. abbreviation 1. archaic 2. archery 3. architect; architectural; architecture

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. & v. --n. 1 a a curved structure as an opening or a support for a bridge, roof, floor, etc. b an arch used in building as an ornament. 2 any arch-shaped curve, e.g. as on the inner side of the foot, the eyebrows, etc. --v. 1 tr. provide with or form into an arch. 2 tr. span like an arch. 3 intr. form an arch. Etymology: ME f. OF arche ult. f. L arcus arc 2. adj. self-consciously or affectedly playful or teasing. Derivatives: archly adv. archness n. Etymology: ARCH-, orig. in arch rogue etc.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Arch Arch, n. [F. arche, fr. LL. arca, for arcus. See Arc.] 1. (Geom.) Any part of a curved line. 2. (Arch.) (a) Usually a curved member made up of separate wedge-shaped solids, with the joints between them disposed in the direction of the radii of the curve; used to support the wall or other weight above an opening. In this sense arches are segmental, round (i. e., semicircular), or pointed. (b) A flat arch is a member constructed of stones cut into wedges or other shapes so as to support each other without rising in a curve. Note: Scientifically considered, the arch is a means of spanning an opening by resolving vertical pressure into horizontal or diagonal thrust. 3. Any place covered by an arch; an archway; as, to pass into the arch of a bridge. 4. Any curvature in the form of an arch; as, the arch of the aorta. ``Colors of the showery arch.'' --Milton. Triumphal arch, a monumental structure resembling an arched gateway, with one or more passages, erected to commemorate a triumph.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Arch Arch, n. [See Arch-, pref.] A chief. [Obs.] My worthy arch and patron comes to-night. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Arch Arch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Arched; p. pr. & vb. n. Arching.] 1. To cover with an arch or arches. 2. To form or bend into the shape of an arch. The horse arched his neck. --Charlesworth.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Arch Arch, v. i. To form into an arch; to curve.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Arch Arch (["a]rch), a. [See Arch-, pref.] 1. Chief; eminent; greatest; principal. The most arch act of piteous massacre. --Shak. 2. Cunning or sly; sportively mischievous; roguish; as, an arch look, word, lad. [He] spoke his request with so arch a leer. --Tatler.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(arches, arching, arched) 1. An arch is a structure that is curved at the top and is supported on either side by a pillar, post, or wall. N-COUNT 2. An arch is a curved line or movement. = arc N-COUNT 3. The arch of your foot is the curved section at the bottom in the middle. N-COUNT 4. If you arch a part of your body such as your back or if it arches, you bend it so that it forms a curve. Don't arch your back, keep your spine straight. VERB: V n, also V 5. If you arch your eyebrows or if they arch, you move them upwards as a way of showing surprise or disapproval. (LITERARY) 'Oh really?' he said, arching an eyebrow. = raise VERB: V n, also V 6. see also arched

Easton's Bible Dictionary

an architectural term found only in Ezek. 40:16, 21, 22, 26, 29. There is no absolute proof that the Israelites employed arches in their buildings. The arch was employed in the building of the pyramids of Egypt. The oldest existing arch is at Thebes, and bears the date B.C. 1350. There are also still found the remains of an arch, known as Robinson's Arch, of the bridge connecting Zion and Moriah. (See TYROPOEON VALLEY.)

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

arch ('ayil; Septuagint ta ailam, in sense of "posts" or "colonnade"): Referred to repeatedly in Eze 40:16 ff, but translation is an error for "porch" or "portico." the Revised Version (British and American) gives in marg, "or, colonnade. The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain." The principle of arch construction was known to the Jews and examples of early Jewish rude arches have been found in Palestine. An arched form need not necessarily be constructed with radiating joints; it can be corbelled as at Mycenae (Treasury of Atreus). This type of construction has been found also in Palestine.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Curved structure. 2. Curve, bend, curving, bending. II. v. a. 1. Vault, cover with an arch, arch over. 2. Bend (into the form of an arch), curve. III. a. 1. Chief, principal, consummate, first-rate, of the first class. 2. Roguish, waggish, mirthful, frolicsome, sportive, merry, playful, sly, shrewd, cunning, knowing.

Moby Thesaurus

Machiavellian, Machiavellic, acute, apse, arc, arcade, arcature, arch over, arched roof, archway, artful, astute, banner, bantam, barrow, basket-handle arch, bend, bend back, bestraddle, bestride, bold, boundary stone, bow, brass, bridge, bust, cagey, cairn, camber, canny, capital, cardinal, ceilinged roof, cenotaph, central, champion, cheeky, chief, clever, clubfoot, cocky, column, concameration, concha, conspicuous, consummate, coquettish, cove, coy, crafty, cromlech, crook, cross, crowning, cunning, cup, cupola, curl, curvation, curvature, curve, cute, cyclolith, deceitful, decurve, deep, deep-laid, deflect, derisive, designing, devilish, digit, diplomatic, dog, dolmen, dome, dominant, elfish, elvish, embow, extend over, extraordinary, extreme, extremity, feline, fetlock, first, flex, flippant, focal, foolish, foot, footstone, forefoot, foremost, forepaw, foxy, fresh, full of mischief, geodesic dome, grave, gravestone, great, greatest, guileful, hang over, harefoot, head, headmost, headstone, heel, hegemonic, high-spirited, hoarstone, hoof, hook, hump, hunch, igloo, imbricate, impish, incurvate, incurve, inflect, ingenious, inscription, insidious, instep, inventive, jut, keystone, knavish, knowing, lap, lap over, leading, lie over, loop, magisterial, main, major, malapert, marker, master, mausoleum, megalith, memento, memorial, memorial arch, memorial column, memorial statue, memorial stone, menhir, mischief-loving, mischievous, mocking, monolith, monument, mound, necrology, notable, noteworthy, obelisk, obituary, ogive, overarch, overhang, overlap, overlie, override, overruling, pad, paramount, pastern, patte, paw, pawky, pedal extremity, pedes, pert, pes, pied, pillar, plaque, playful, politic, prankish, pranksome, pranky, predominant, preeminent, premier, preponderant, prevailing, primal, primary, prime, principal, prize, puckish, pug, pyramid, ranking, ready, recurve, reflect, reflex, reliquary, remembrance, resourceful, retroflex, ribbon, roguish, rostral column, round, ruling, sag, saucy, scampish, scapegrace, scheming, serpentine, shaft, sharp, shifty, shingle, shrewd, shrine, skewback, slick, slippery, sly, smooth, snaky, sneaky, sole, sophistical, sovereign, span, splayfoot, sportive, star, stealthy, stela, stellar, stone, strategic, stupa, subtile, subtle, supereminent, supple, swag, sweep, tablet, tactical, testimonial, toe, tomb, tombstone, tootsy, tope, topflight, trefoil arch, trickish, tricksy, tricky, trophy, trotter, turn, twitting, ungula, vault, vaulting, voussoir, vulpine, waggish, wary, wily, wind