arch

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Medicine

n. the curved part of the bottom of your foot between the toes and the heel.

n. the curved part of the human foot between the toes and the heel, which provides structural support for the body's weight.

“He bought special shoes because he has high arches and needs extra support.”

“Long-distance runners often require footwear with specific cushioning to prevent the arch of the foot from collapsing under repetitive stress.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to form a curved shape.

v. to form or cause to form the shape of an arch; often used intransitively to describe a physical movement.

“The cat arched its back when it saw the dog enter the room.”

“The bridge arches gracefully over the river, connecting the historic district with the modern commercial centre.”

C1 · Advanced Literary

adj. acting like you know a secret or find something funny in a clever way.

adj. deliberately or affectedly playful and teasing; conveying the impression that one possesses secret or superior knowledge.

“She gave him an arch look when he tried to hide the surprise gift.”

“The professor raised an arch eyebrow at the student's creative, if somewhat improbable, explanation for the missing assignment.”

C2 · Proficiency Formal

adj. the most important or main person of a certain type, often used with negative words.

adj. chief or principal; most extreme of its kind. Often used as a prefix or in combination with nouns denoting negative roles.

“In the story, the hero finally defeats his arch enemy.”

“The diplomat was known as an arch-conservative, resisting any policy change that threatened the traditional social order.”