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# arc

noun (an arc, arcs); verb (arc, arcs, arced, arcing)

«arc» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. An arc is part of the curved line of a circle, or any curved line shaped like this. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arc/#m1)
2. To arc is to move in a curve: the ball arced through the air. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arc/#m2)
3. A story arc is the shape a story or a character's change follows from beginning to end. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arc/#m3)
4. (science) An electric arc is a bright spark that jumps across a gap. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arc/#m4)

### In the lessons

In maths lessons on circles, an arc is part of the circumference; pupils draw arcs with compasses to construct triangles, and learn related words (radius, diameter, chord, sector). In PE and science, a thrown ball travels in an arc. In English, «story arc» or «character arc» describes how events or a character change. Phrases: «draw an arc», «arc of a circle», «in an arc», «story arc», «rainbow arc».

### Examples

- Use a compass to draw an arc. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arc/#x1)
- An arc is part of the edge of a circle. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arc/#x2)
- The ball arced high over the goalkeeper's head. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arc/#x3)
- A rainbow is an arc of colours. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arc/#x4)
- The hero's character arc goes from scared to brave. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arc/#x5)
- The welder's arc was so bright we could not look at it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arc/#x6)

### Note

Use «an»: «an arc». Homophone trap: «arc» (curve) and «ark» (Noah's boat) sound the same. Maths: the arc length of a full circle is the circumference; half the circle gives half the length. Do not confuse an arc with an arch (a curved structure like a doorway).

## In Jewish tradition

In maths lessons on circles, an arc is part of the circumference; pupils draw arcs with compasses to construct triangles, and learn related words (radius, diameter, chord, sector). In PE and science, a thrown ball travels in an arc. In English, «story arc» or «character arc» describes how events or a character change. Phrases: «draw an arc», «arc of a circle», «in an arc», «story arc», «rainbow arc».

### Note

Use «an»: «an arc». Homophone trap: «arc» (curve) and «ark» (Noah's boat) sound the same. Maths: the arc length of a full circle is the circumference; half the circle gives half the length. Do not confuse an arc with an arch (a curved structure like a doorway).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «arc» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/arc/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«arc» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/arc.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «arc» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/arc/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«arc» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/arc.html) on Mova free.