arch
English Edit
Pronunciation Edit
- (General American) enPR: ärch, IPA(key): /ɑɹt͡ʃ/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɑːt͡ʃ/
- (by analogy to arc, nonstandard) IPA(key): ((General American)) /ɑɹk/, ((Received Pronunciation)) /ɑːk/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)tʃ
Etymology 1 Edit
From Middle English arch, arche, from Old French arche (“an arch”), a feminine form of arc, from Latin arcus (“a bow, arc, arch”). Doublet of arc and arco. Displaced native Old English bīeġels.
Noun Edit
arch (plural arches)
- An inverted U shape.
- An arch-shaped arrangement of trapezoidal stones, designed to redistribute downward force outward.
- (architecture) An architectural element having the shape of an arch
- Any place covered by an arch; an archway.
- to pass into the arch of a bridge
- (archaic, geometry) An arc; a part of a curve.
- A natural arch-shaped opening in a rock mass.
- (anatomy) The curved part of the bottom of a foot.
Derived terms Edit
- abdominothoracic arch
- antitwilight arch
- aortic arch
- aortic arch syndrome
- arch bridge
- arch dell
- arch doxy
- arched
- arch enemy
- Arches
- arch harp
- archivolt
- archlute
- arch of the aorta
- archway
- bell arch
- branchial arch
- camber arch
- cycloidal arch
- fallen arch
- flying arch
- geostatic arch
- gill arch
- Golden Arches
- Gothic arch
- haemal arch
- hyoid arch
- jack arch
- lancet arch
- Marble Arch
- Maya arch
- Mayan arch
- neural arch
- nocturnal arch
- oblique arch
- overarch
- palatoglossal arch
- palatopharyngeal arch
- pelvic arch
- proscenium arch
- relieving arch
- safety arch
- scheme arch
- sea arch
- skew arch
- smoke arch
- stilted arch
- straight arch
- toparch
- triumphal arch
- vertebral arch
- wheel arch
- zygomatic arch
Translations Edit
|
|
|
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Verb Edit
arch (third-person singular simple present arches, present participle arching, simple past and past participle arched)
- To form into an arch shape.
- The cat arched its back
- To cover with an arch or arches.
Translations Edit
|
References Edit
- John A. Simpson and Edmund S. C. Weiner, editors (1989), “arch”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, →ISBN.
Etymology 2 Edit
From the prefix arch-. "Principal" is the original sense; "mischievous" is via onetime frequent collocation with rogue, knave, etc.
Adjective Edit
arch (comparative archer, superlative archest)
- Knowing, clever, mischievous.
- I attempted to hide my emotions, but an arch remark escaped my lips.
- 1710 July 15 (Gregorian calendar), Isaac Bickerstaff [et al., pseudonyms; Richard Steele et al.], “Tuesday, July 4, 1710”, in The Tatler, number 193; republished in [Richard Steele], editor, The Tatler, […], London stereotype edition, volume III, London: I. Walker and Co.; […], 1822, →OCLC:
- [He] spoke his request with so arch a leer.
- 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “Several Adventures that Happened to the Author. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part II (A Voyage to Brobdingnag), page 247:
- I was every day furniſhing the Court with ſome ridiculous Story; and Glumdalclitch, although ſhe loved me to Exceſs, yet was arch enough to inform the Queen, whenever I committed any Folly that ſhe thought would be diverting to her Majeſty.
- 1828, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter XVI, in Pelham; or, The Adventures of a Gentleman. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 112:
- “Oh!” cried Mrs. Green, with an arch laugh, “you are acquainted with Monsieur Margot, then?”
- 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 46, in The History of Pendennis. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:
- Blanche’s grey eyes gazed at Foker with such an arch twinkle that both of them burst out laughing […]
- 1906, O. Henry, By Courier:
- A certain melancholy that touched her countenance must have been of recent birth, for it had not yet altered the fine and youthful contours of her cheek, nor subdued the arch though resolute curve of her lips.
- 1912 January, Zane Grey, chapter 3, in Riders of the Purple Sage […], New York, N.Y., London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, →OCLC:
- Lassiter ended there with dry humor, yet behind that was meaning. Jane blushed and made arch eyes at him.
- 2021 July 12, Nicholas Barber, “The French Dispatch: Four stars for Wes Anderson's latest”, in BBC[1]:
- When you're watching a Wes Anderson film, you know it. Within seconds, you spot the symmetrical compositions, the horizontal camera moves, the blocks of garish colour, the san-serif lettering, the arch, wordy, vaguely melancholy humour and all the other elements that distinguish his comedies from everyone else's.
- 2023 March 14, Alexandra Jacobs, “Your Annoying Roommate Is Slaying on TikTok”, in The New York Times[2]:
- Ms. Brier specializes in point of view, or P.O.V., videos that confront relatable, often hateable characters, with a subtle sneer, gleefully rubbery body and arch delivery of generational catchphrases like “slay, queen” and “I got you,” often repeated for effect.
- Principal; primary.
- They were arch enemies.
- c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
- the most arch act of piteous massacre
- 1929, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, When the World Screamed[3]:
- Challenger the super scientist, Challenger the arch-pioneer, Challenger the first man of all men whom Mother Earth had been compelled to recognize.
Derived terms Edit
Translations Edit
Noun Edit
arch (plural arches)
- (obsolete) chief
- c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
- My worthy arch and patron comes to-night.
See also Edit
Further reading Edit
- “arch”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “arch”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- “arch”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
Anagrams Edit
Czech Edit
Noun Edit
arch m inan
- sheet (in printing)
Declension Edit
Middle Dutch Edit
Etymology 1 Edit
From Old Dutch *arg, from Proto-Germanic *argaz.
Adjective Edit
arch
Inflection Edit
This adjective needs an inflection-table template.
Alternative forms Edit
Derived terms Edit
Descendants Edit
Etymology 2 Edit
A substantive form of the adjective arch.
Noun Edit
arch n
Inflection Edit
This noun needs an inflection-table template.
Further reading Edit
- “arch (I)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
- “arch (II)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
- Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “arch (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I
- Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “arch (II)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page II
Middle English Edit
Alternative forms Edit
Etymology Edit
From Old French arche.
Noun Edit
arch (plural arches)
Descendants Edit
- English: arch
References Edit
- “arch(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
Middle Welsh Edit
Etymology Edit
From the root of erchi (“to request”), from Proto-Celtic *ɸarsketi, from Proto-Indo-European *preḱ-.
Pronunciation Edit
Noun Edit
arch f
Verb Edit
arch
Mutation Edit
Middle Welsh mutation | |||
---|---|---|---|
Radical | Soft | Nasal | H-prothesis |
arch | unchanged | unchanged | harch |
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. |
Scots Edit
Noun Edit
arch (plural archs)
- Alternative form of airch
References Edit
- “arch, n.” in the Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries.
Welsh Edit
Pronunciation Edit
Etymology 1 Edit
From Middle Welsh arch, from Proto-Brythonic *arx, from Latin arca.
Noun Edit
arch f (plural eirch)
- (obsolete) chest, coffer
- coffin (a box for the dead)
- 2020 February 28, BBC Cymru Fyw[4]:
- Mae’r arddangosfa yn ymchwilio i’r modd y caiff y corff dynol ei gadw wedi marwolaeth. Penllanw deng mlynedd o waith yw’r casgliad o jariau claddu ac eirch carreg maint llawn.
- The exhibition explores the way in which the human body is preserved after daeth. The collection of burial jars full-size stone coffins is the culmination of ten years' work.
- ark (a large boat with a flat bottom)
- 1588, Y Beibl cyssegr-lan, Genesis 6:13, 14:
- A Duw a ddywedodd wrth Noa, Diwedd pob cnawd a ddaeth ger fy mron: oblegid llanwyd y ddaear â thrawsedd trwyddynt hwy: ac wele myfi a’u difethaf hwynt gyda’r ddaear. Gwna i ti arch o goed Goffer; yn gellau y gwnei yr arch, a phyga hi oddi mewn ac oddi allan â phyg.
- And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
- 1588, Y Beibl cyssegr-lan, Genesis 6:13, 14:
Derived terms Edit
- arch Noa (“Noah's Ark”)
- arch y Cyfamod (“Ark of the Covenant”)
- bwa'r arch (“rainbow”)
Etymology 2 Edit
A back-formation from erchi (“to seek, ask for”).
Noun Edit
arch f (plural eirchion)
Derived terms Edit
- archeb (“order”)
Etymology 3 Edit
An inflected form of erchi (“to seek, ask for”).
Verb Edit
arch
Mutation Edit
Welsh mutation | |||
---|---|---|---|
radical | soft | nasal | h-prothesis |
arch | unchanged | unchanged | harch |
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. |
Further reading Edit
- R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “arch”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies