Arch definitions and example sentences on Wordnik

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Definitions (88)

American Heritage Dictionary (11)

noun A structure, especially one of masonry, forming the curved, pointed, or flat upper edge of an open space and supporting the weight above it, as in a bridge or doorway.
noun A structure, such as a freestanding monument, shaped like an inverted U.
noun A curve with the ends down and the middle up: the arch of a raised eyebrow.

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Century Dictionary (64)

1. In geometry, any part of the circumference of a circle or other curve; an arc. See arc
In architecture, a structure built of separate and inelastic blocks, assembled on a curved line in such a way as to retain their position when the structure is supported extraneously only at its two extremities. The separate blocks which compose the arch are called voussoirs or arch-stones. The extreme or lowest voussoirs are termed springers, and the uppermost or central one, when a single stone occupies this position, is called the keystone. The under or concave face of the assembled voussoirs is called the intrados, and the upper or convex face the extrados, of the arch. When the curves of the intrados and extrados are concentric or parallel, the arch is said to be extradosed. The supports which afford resting and resisting points to the arch are piers or pillars, which receive the vertical pressure of the arch, and abutments, which resist its lateral thrust, and which are properly portions of the wall or other structure above the springing and abreast of the shoulder of the arch. The upper part of the pier upon which the arch rests (technically, the point from which it springs) is the impost. The span of an arch is the distance between its opposite imposts. The rise of an arch is the height of the highest point of its intrados above the line of the imposts; this point is sometimes called the under side of the crown, the highest point of the extrados being the crown. The thrust of an arch is the pressure which it exerts outward. This pressure is practically collected, so far as it is manifested as an active force, at a point which cannot be exactly determined theoretically, but is at about one third of the height of the rise of the arch. The thrust must be counteracted by abutments or buttresses. Arches are designated in two ways: First, in a general manner, according to their properties, their uses, their position in a building, or their exclusive employment in a particular style of architecture. Thus, there are arches of equilibration, equipollent arches, arches of discharge, skew and reversed arches, Roman, Pointed, and Saracenic arches. Second, they are named specifically, according to the curve the intrados assumes, when that curve is the section of any of the geometrical solids, as segmental, semicircular, cycloidal, elliptical, parabolical, hyperbolical, or catenarian arches; or from the resemblance of the whole contour of the curve to some familiar object, as lancet arch and horseshoe arch; or from the method used in describing the curve, as equilateral, three-centered, four-centered, ogee, etc. When an arch has one of its imposts higher than the other, it is said to be rampant. Foil arches are arches whose intrados outlines form a series of subordinate arcs called foils, the points of which are termed cusps. A numeral is usually employed to designate the number of foils, as a trefoil arch, a cinquefoil arch, etc.
Any place covered with an arch or a vault like an arch: as, to pass through the arch of a bridge.

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Examples (50)

It was an arch, the single one they had seen Over this arch was a carving which explained why the place had been called Taz by Diamond Eve Post and the rest. — 036 - Mystery Under the Sea
Above the arch was a narrow window, tall enough to give access to a tiny balcony looking out over the hall. — Death Of Jezebel - Christianna Brand - Cockrill 04: 1948
On a rock near the arch is a colony of sea lions barking like cranky dogs at visitors for interrupting their sleep. — post-gazette.com - News
In the spandrels of the arch are the arms of England and France, while along the cornice are some of the royal badges. — Westminster Abbey
To the right of the arch is a flight of steps, ancient and worm-eaten, difficult of climbing by day by reason of a hole here, a worn place there, and the perilous tilting of the boards; at night well nigh impassable without a lantern. — The Black Cross

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pillar · tower · curve · dome · roof · square · vault · staircase · building · stone · temple · ridge

Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (6)

American Heritage Dictionary (2)

Middle English, from Old French arche, from Vulgar Latin *arca, from Latin arcus.
From arch-¹.

Century Dictionary (4)

from Middle English arch, arche, from Old French arche (later Middle Latin archia), modern F. arche, an arch, feminine form (prob. by confusion with Old French and F. arche, ark, from Latin arca: see arch) of Old French and F. arc, from Latin arcus: see arc.
from arch, n.
from Middle English arche, in Scriptural senses, assibilated form of arc, ark, from Anglo-Saxon arc, earc, erc (see ark), merged with the identical Old French arche, airche, from Latin arca, a box, chest: see arc, ark.
A separate use of the prefix arch-, chief, which in many compounds has acquired, from the second member of the compound, or from the intention of the user, a more or less derogatory implication.

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