different between arch vs portcullis

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) enPR: ärch, IPA^(key): /??t??/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??t??/
• (by analogy to arc, nonstandard) IPA^(key): ((General American)) /???k/, ((Received Pronunciation)) /??k/
• Rhymes: -??(?)t?

Etymology 1

From Middle English arch, arche, from Old French arche (“an arch”) (French arche), a feminine form of arc, from Latin arcus (“a bow, arc, arch”).

Noun

arch (plural arches)

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

   to pass into the arch of a bridge

7. (archaic, geometry) An arc; a part of a curve.
8. A natural arch-shaped opening in a rock mass.
9. (anatomy) Curved part of the bottom of a foot.

Derived terms

Translations

References

• John A. Simpson and Edward S. C. Weiner, editors (1989) , “arch”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, ?ISBN

Verb

arch (third-person singular simple present arches, present participle arching, simple past and past participle arched)

1. To form into an arch shape

   The cat arched its back

2. To cover with an arch or arches.

Translations

Etymology 2

From the prefix arch-. "Principal" is the original sense; "mischievous" is via onetime frequent collocation with rogue, knave, etc.

Adjective

arch (comparative archer, superlative archest)

2. Knowing, clever, mischievous.

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

   • July 4, 1710, Isaac Bickerstaff (pseudonym for Richard Steele or (in some later numbers of the journal) Joseph Addison), The Tatler No. 193

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

   • Lassiter ended there with dry humor, yet behind that was meaning. Jane blushed and made arch eyes at him.

3. Principal; primary.

Derived terms

• archly
• archness

Translations

Noun

arch (plural arches)

1. (obsolete) A chief.

Related terms

• arc

Further reading

• arch in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• arch in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• arch at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• Char, Rach, char, rach

Czech

Noun

arch m inan

1. sheet (in printing)

Declension

Middle Dutch

Etymology 1

From Old Dutch *arg, from Proto-Germanic *argaz.

Adjective

arch

1. bad, depraved
2. wrong, evil
3. shameful
4. bad, worthless, of low quality

Inflection

This adjective needs an inflection-table template.

Alternative forms

• erch

Derived terms

• argeren

Descendants

• Dutch: arg, erg

Etymology 2

Substantive form of the adjective arch.

Noun

arch n

1. evil
2. disaster, misfortune

Inflection

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Further reading

• “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

Alternative forms

• arche

Etymology

From Old French arche.

Noun

arch (plural arches)

1. arch
2. arc

Descendants

• English: arch

References

• “arch(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Middle Welsh

Etymology

From the root of erchi (“to request”), from Proto-Celtic *?arsketi, from Proto-Indo-European *pre?-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ar?/

Noun

arch f

1. request

Verb

arch

1. second-person singular imperative of erchi

Mutation

Welsh

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ar?/

Etymology 1

From Middle Welsh arch, from Proto-Brythonic *arx, from Latin arca.

Noun

arch f (plural eirch)

1. (obsolete) chest, coffer
2. coffin (box for the dead)
3. ark (large boat with a flat bottom)
   • 1588, Y Beibl cyssegr-lan, Genesis 6:13, 14:

Derived terms

• arch Noa (“Noah's Ark”)
• arch y Cyfamod (“Ark of the Covenant”)
• bwa'r arch (“rainbow”)

Etymology 2

Back-formation from erchi (“to seek, to ask for”).

Noun

arch f (plural eirchion)

1. request, command

Derived terms

• archeb (“order”)

Etymology 3

Inflected form of erchi (“to seek, to ask for”).

Verb

arch

1. second-person singular imperative of erchi

Mutation

Further reading

• 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

English

Alternative forms

• portclose (archaic)
• portcluse (obsolete)
• portculis (rare)
• portculleis (archaic)
• portculles (archaic)
• port cullis, port-cullis (archaic)
• portecullis, porte-cullis (rare)

Etymology

From Middle English portcolyse, from Anglo-Norman porte coliz and Old French porte couleice, from porte (“door”) + feminine of couleis (“sliding”), from couler (“to flow”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /p??t?k?l?s/

Noun

portcullis (plural portcullises or portcullisses or (rare) portscullis)

1. A gate in the form of a grating which is lowered into place at the entrance to a castle, fort, etc.
2. (historical) An English coin of the reign of Elizabeth I, struck for the use of the East India Company, and bearing the figure of a portcullis on the reverse.

Translations

Verb

portcullis (third-person singular simple present portcullises, present participle portcullising, simple past and past participle portcullised)

1. To obstruct with, or as with, a portcullis; to shut; to bar.
   • 1597, William Shakespeare, Richard II

     ...Within my mouth you have engaol'd my tongue / Doubly portcullis'd with my teeth and lips...

Further reading

• portcullis on Wikipedia.Wikipedia