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Definition: Arch from Merriam-Webster's Collegiate(R) Dictionary

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arch

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
the spanning of a wall opening by means of separate units (such as bricks or stone blocks) assembled into an upward curve that maintains its shape and stability through the mutual pressure of a load and the separate pieces. The weight of the supported load is thus converted into downward and outward lateral pressures called thrusts, which are received by the solid piers (abutments) flanking the opening. The blocks, called voussoirs, composing the arch usually have a wedge shape but they can be rectangular with wedge-shaped joints between them. The underside of the arch is the intrados or soffit and the upper surface above the crown block (keystone) of the arch is the extrados. The point where the arch starts to curve is the foot of the arch, and the stones there are the springers. The surface above the haunch (just below the beginning of the curve) contained within a line drawn perpendicular to the springing line (from which the arch curves), and another drawn horizontal to the crown…
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Full text Article arch

From The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of Art Terms
arch
A device for spanning an opening which converts the downward thrust of the weight above into an outward thrust sustained by flanking masonry. Usually a curved structure, it is composed of wedge-shaped blocks called voussoirs. The essence of any true arch (as opposed to a corbel arch) is that it…
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Full text Article arch

From Word Origins
English acquired arch via Old French arche and a hypothetical Vulgar Latin *arca from Latin arcus ‘curve, arch, bow’ (from which English also got arc [14]). When it first came into the language it was still used in the general sense of ‘curve, arc’ as well as ‘curved structure’ (Chaucer in his…
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Full text Article arch

From Philip's Encyclopedia
Upward-pointing or curving arrangement of masonry blocks or other load-bearing materials, also used in architectural decoration. The ancient Romans invented traditional masonry arches but later cultures extended their repertoire to include many different and elaborate shapes. The basic structure of…
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Full text Article arch

From Dictionary of Architecture and Construction
arch: Ex Estrados; In intrados; K keystone; S...
A construction that spans an opening; usually curved; often consists of wedge-shaped blocks (voussoirs) having their narrower ends toward the opening. Arches vary in shape, from those that have little or no curvature to those that are acutely pointed. For special types of arches, see acute arch , …
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Full text Article Arches

From 1001 Inventions: The Enduring Legacy of Muslim Civilization
Arches are essential in architecture because they span large spaces while also bearing huge loads. Strong and flexible, they have been made bigger and wider, and today we see them in buildings from shopping centers to bridges. They are so common nowadays that it is easy to forget how advanced arches…
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Full text Article arches

From Encyclopedia of Ancient Rome
The Arch of Constantine, built to commemorate...
Architectural form that the Romans brought to near perfection in monuments and other structures. The Romans were gifted in the construction of arches, and many have survived the centuries as remarkable artistic creations of the imperial era. Early examples of arch-making date to the fourth century…
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Full text Article arch

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
In masonry, a curved structure that supports the weight of material over an open space, as in a bridge or doorway. The first arches consisted of several wedge-shaped stones supported by their mutual pressure. The term is also applied to any curved structure that is an arch in form only, such as the…
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Full text Article arch

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
the spanning of a wall opening by means of separate units (such as bricks or stone blocks) assembled into an upward curve that maintains its shape and stability through the mutual pressure of a load and the separate pieces. The weight of the supported load is thus converted into downward and outward…
| 491 words
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Full text Article arch

From Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
The arch supports a vertical load primarily by...
Curved structure that spans the opening between two piers or columns and supports loads from above. The masonry arch provides the stepping stone from the post-and-beam system to the evolution of the vault , and was first widely used by the Romans. Its construction depends on a series of wedge-shaped…
| 182 words , 1 image
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Full text Article ARCH

From 100 Ideas that Changed Architecture
The arch was known to builders in several ancient civilizations but, for reasons that are not clear, its use was confined to utilitarian or underground structures such as storehouses or drains. It reached its apogee in the Gothic but was uncommon in Modern architecture. The arch enables the spanning…
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