arch

plural arches

1. An inverted U shape.
2. An arch-shaped arrangement of trapezoidal stones, designed to redistribute downward force outward.
3. architectureAn architectural element having the shape of an arch
4. Any place covered by an arch; an archway.

   to pass into the arch of a bridge

5. archaicgeometryAn arc; a part of a curve.
6. A natural arch-shaped opening in a rock mass.
7. anatomyThe curved part of the bottom of a foot.

present singular third person arches · participle present arching · participle past arched · past arched

1. transitiveTo form into an arch shape.

   The cat arched its back.

   1 more example

   GBR will either be letting operating contracts or running rail companies directly, depending on which party wins the next General Election. Whichever it is, you can be forgiven for arching an eyebrow at an infrastructure company being placed in overall control.

   2024 March 6, Philip Haigh, “Comment: Who will run our railways?”, in RAIL, number 1004, page 3

2. transitiveTo cover with an arch or arches.

comparative archer · superlative archest

1. Knowing, clever, mischievous.

   I attempted to hide my emotions, but an arch remark escaped my lips.

   5 more examples

   [He] spoke his request with so arch a leer.

   1710 July 14 (Gregorian calendar), Isaac Bickerstaff [et al., pseudonyms; Richard Steele et al.], “Monday, 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

   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.

   1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “Several Adventures that Happened to the Author. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part II (A Voyage to Brobdingnag), page 247

   “Oh!” cried Mrs. Green, with an arch laugh, “you are acquainted with Monsieur Margot, then?”

   1828, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter XVI, in Pelham; or, The Adventures of a Gentleman. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 112

   Blanche’s grey eyes gazed at Foker with such an arch twinkle that both of them burst out laughing […]

   1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 46, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC

   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.

   1906 April, O. Henry [pseudonym; William Sydney Porter], “By Courier”, in The Four Million, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co, →OCLC

2. IrelandCute, sly, prematurely wise.
3. Principal; primary.

   They were arch enemies.

   2 more examples

   the most arch act of piteous massacre

   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]

   Challenger the super scientist, Challenger the arch-pioneer, Challenger the first man of all men whom Mother Earth had been compelled to recognize.

   1928 February 25 – March 3, Arthur Conan Doyle, “When the World Screamed”, in The Professor Challenger Stories […], London: John Murray, […], published [1952], →OCLC, page 577

plural arches

1. obsoleteA chief.

   My worthy arch and patron comes to-night.

   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]

2. video gamesSynonym of god (“person who owns and runs a multi-user dungeon”).

   Synonyms: god

plural arches

1. operating systemsbusinessAn architecture; a computer architecture or instruction set architecture.

   In the Linux kernel, arch-specific code lives in the arch directory of the source tree.

1. abbreviationinitialismnot comparablemathematicsInitialism of autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity

1. A diminutive of the male given names Archibald and Archie.