arch
An arch is a shape that resembles an upside down “U.” You may find this shape in a carefully tweezed eyebrow or in the famous golden pair that make you hunger for a Big Mac.
In architecture, an arch is an opening that is often found supporting the weight of a something above it — like a bridge or a wall. In downtown St. Louis, you can visit the Gateway Arch — a freestanding catenary arch that is 630 feet tall and 630 feet wide. As a verb, arch means to make an arch-like shape. “She stretched her back by arching it into a backbend.” As an adjective, arch can describe something mischievous or sly: “He teased his friend with an arch comment about his shyness around girls.”
-
(architecture) a masonry construction (usually curved) for spanning an opening and supporting the weight above it
-
types:
- show 30 types…
- hide 30 types…
-
abutment arch
an arch supported by an abutment
-
broken arch
an arch with a gap at the apex; the gap is usually filled with some decoration
-
camber arch
an arch with a straight horizontal extrados and a slightly arched intrados
-
corbel arch
(architecture) an arch constructed of masonry courses that are corbelled until they meet
-
flat arch, straight arch
an arch with mutually supporting voussoirs that has a straight horizontal extrados and intrados
-
pier arch
an arch supported on piers
-
pointed arch
an arch with a pointed apex; characteristic of Gothic architecture
-
proscenium arch
the arch over the opening in the proscenium wall
-
rampant arch
an arch whose support is higher on one side than on the other
-
round arch
an arch formed in a continuous curve; characteristic of Roman architecture
-
rowlock arch
an arch that is formed with more than one concentric row of voussoirs
-
safety arch
an undecorated arch that is included in order to strengthen or support a construction
-
scoinson arch, sconcheon arch
an arch that supports part of the wall
-
segmental arch
a shallow arch; an arch that is less than a semicircle
-
shouldered arch
an arch consisting of a horizontal lintel supported at each end by corbels that project into the aperture
-
diminished arch, scheme arch, skeen arch, skene arch
an arch whose height is less than half its width
-
skew arch
an arch whose jambs are not at right angles with the face
-
squinch
a small arch built across the interior angle of two walls (usually to support a spire)
-
trimmer arch
an arch built between trimmers in a floor (to support the weight of a hearth)
-
triumphal arch
a monumental archway; usually they are built to commemorate some notable victory
-
Tudor arch, four-centered arch
a low elliptical or pointed arch; usually drawn from four centers
-
bell arch
a round arch resting on corbels
-
drop arch
a blunt pointed arch drawn from two centers within the span
-
Gothic arch
a pointed arch; usually has a joint (instead of a keystone) at the apex
-
Moorish arch, horseshoe arch
a round arch that widens before rounding off
-
keel arch, ogee arch
a pointed arch having an S-shape on both sides
-
Roman arch, semicircular arch
a round arch drawn from a single center
-
basket-handle arch, three-centered arch
a round arch whose inner curve is drawn with circles having three centers
-
trefoil arch
a pointed arch having cusps in the intrados on either side of the apex
-
trumpet arch
a conical squinch
-
type of:
-
construction, structure
a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts
-
a passageway under a curved masonry construction
-
a curved shape in the vertical plane that spans an opening
-
type of:
-
curve, curved shape
the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes
-
curve, curved shape
-
a curved bony structure supporting or enclosing organs (especially the inner sides of the feet)
-
types:
- show 6 types…
- hide 6 types…
-
metatarsal arch
the short lateral arch formed by the heads of the metatarsals
-
instep
the arch of the foot
-
pectoral arch, shoulder girdle
the bony arch formed by the collarbones and shoulder blades in humans
-
haemal arch, hemal arch
a structure arising ventrally from a vertebral centrum and enclosing the caudal blood vessels
-
neural arch, vertebral arch
a structure arising dorsally from a vertebral centrum and enclosing the spinal cord
-
fallen arch, sunken arch
an instep flattened so the entire sole rests on the ground
-
type of:
-
skeletal structure
any structure created by the skeleton of an organism
-
form an arch or curve
-
(used of behavior or attitude) characteristic of those who treat others with condescension
-
synonyms:
condescending, patronising, patronizing-
superior
of or characteristic of high rank or importance
-
superior
-
naughtily or annoyingly playful
-
expert in skulduggery
“an
arch criminal”-
Synonyms:
-
skilled
having or showing or requiring special skill
-
skilled