Arc
noun
A curved line or shape.
We saw a beautiful arc of a rainbow in the sky.
Often appears as...
- arc of a rainbow
- arc of a ball
noun
A part of the circumference of a circle or other curve.
The arc of a circle with a 60-degree central angle is one-sixth of the entire circumference.
Often appears as...
- arc length
- arc of a circle
Usage tips
Academic
noun
A path that something follows while it moves, especially when it is in the air.
The ball flew in a high arc.
Often appears as...
- arc of motion
- arc of throw
noun
The progression or developing of events, a storyline in literature or drama.
The character arc of the protagonist is quite intriguing.
Often appears as...
- character arc
- narrative arc
Usage tips
Informal
Literary
noun
Electricity's passage through air or some other insulating medium.
An electric arc lamp produces light when electric current flows between two electrodes.
Often appears as...
- arc welding
- electric arc
Usage tips
Technical
verb
Move with a curve or in a curved path.
The ball arced across the sky.
Often appears as...
- arc across
- arc over
noun
A curved line or shape.
We saw a beautiful arc of a rainbow in the sky.
Often appears as...
- arc of a rainbow
- arc of a ball
noun
A part of the circumference of a circle or other curve.
The arc of a circle with a 60-degree central angle is one-sixth of the entire circumference.
Often appears as...
- arc length
- arc of a circle
Usage tips
Academic
noun
A path that something follows while it moves, especially when it is in the air.
The ball flew in a high arc.
Often appears as...
- arc of motion
- arc of throw
noun
The progression or developing of events, a storyline in literature or drama.
The character arc of the protagonist is quite intriguing.
Often appears as...
- character arc
- narrative arc
Usage tips
Informal
Literary
noun
Electricity's passage through air or some other insulating medium.
An electric arc lamp produces light when electric current flows between two electrodes.
Often appears as...
- arc welding
- electric arc
Usage tips
Technical
verb
Move with a curve or in a curved path.
The ball arced across the sky.
Often appears as...
- arc across
- arc over
Definition 1 of 6
Pro Tip 1/2Visual Imagery
Use 'arc' to describe visually curved lines, often found in nature or art.
The potter's hands shaped the clay into an arc.
Pro Tip 2/2Rainbow Association
'Arc' is commonly visualized with rainbows, enhancing descriptions with a touch of color and nature.
The children painted a bright arc to represent a rainbow.
Pro Tip 1/2Visual Imagery
Use 'arc' to describe visually curved lines, often found in nature or art.
The potter's hands shaped the clay into an arc.
Pro Tip 2/2Rainbow Association
'Arc' is commonly visualized with rainbows, enhancing descriptions with a touch of color and nature.
The children painted a bright arc to represent a rainbow.
Pro Tip 1/2Visual Imagery
Use 'arc' to describe visually curved lines, often found in nature or art.
The potter's hands shaped the clay into an arc.
Pro Tip 2/2Rainbow Association
'Arc' is commonly visualized with rainbows, enhancing descriptions with a touch of color and nature.
The children painted a bright arc to represent a rainbow.
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Video examples
Sniper School PIPE Doomsday...
expertly trained in using a weapon systems arc sling shot it because Shane has the most experience with firearms he will bear the responsibility of taking the kill shot I'd go to any lengths necessary to protect my family um if that means you know killing somebody because they're trying to invade in either tree they're trying to hurt me my
Video examples
Bryan Stevenson: We need...
because I believe that many of you understand that the moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice; that we cannot be full, evolved human beings until we care about human rights and basic dignity; that all of our survival is tied to the survival of everyone; that our visions of technology and design
Video examples
How one tweet can ruin...
What we had was a delightful narrative arc. We knew something that Justine didn't. Can you think of anything less judicial than this? Justine was asleep on a plane and unable to explain herself, and her inability was a huge part of the hilarity. On Twitter that night, we were like toddlers crawling towards a gun.
Video examples
Inside the bizarre world...
People make hashtags trend or not trend. People make societies progress or regress. When we internalize that fact, we can stop waiting for some inevitable future to arrive and actually get to work now. You know, we've all been taught that the arc of the moral universe is long
Video examples
Building smart cities PIPE...
considered the most democratic political building that we have in the world that is the city as a living system I love this image which I saw in the in the Venice architecture Biennale this past summer and it so shows this city you know the animal in this is the arc
Video examples
Parag Khanna maps the...
have not delivered us peace in this conflict. What might? I believe that what might solve the problem is infrastructure. Today donors are spending billions of dollars on this. These two arrows are an arc, an arc of commuter railroads and other infrastructure
Video examples
Why should you read Kurt...
Vonnegut thought this kind of story was the truest to real life, in which we are all the victims of a series of accidents, unable to predict how events will impact us long term. He found the tidy, satisfying arcs of many stories at odds with this reality,
Video examples
How Powerful Is a Dog's...
barking and knowing what we've tried and tried to do is work our way down wind again Criss crossing the wind until she starts to bark again Neal and the search team have honed their partnership with firm to an arc Neal can tell from ferns
Video examples
What are animals...
They've known each other for decades. They know exactly who they are. They know who their friends are. They know who their rivals are. Their life follows the arc of a career. They know where they are all the time.
Video examples
Connected, but alone? PIPE...
It comforted her. And many people found this amazing. But that woman was trying to make sense of her life with a machine that had no experience of the arc of a human life.
Video examples
Sniper School PIPE Doomsday...
expertly trained in using a weapon systems arc sling shot it because Shane has the most experience with firearms he will bear the responsibility of taking the kill shot I'd go to any lengths necessary to protect my family um if that means you know killing somebody because they're trying to invade in either tree they're trying to hurt me my
Video examples
Bryan Stevenson: We need...
because I believe that many of you understand that the moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice; that we cannot be full, evolved human beings until we care about human rights and basic dignity; that all of our survival is tied to the survival of everyone; that our visions of technology and design
Video examples
How one tweet can ruin...
What we had was a delightful narrative arc. We knew something that Justine didn't. Can you think of anything less judicial than this? Justine was asleep on a plane and unable to explain herself, and her inability was a huge part of the hilarity. On Twitter that night, we were like toddlers crawling towards a gun.
Video examples
Inside the bizarre world...
People make hashtags trend or not trend. People make societies progress or regress. When we internalize that fact, we can stop waiting for some inevitable future to arrive and actually get to work now. You know, we've all been taught that the arc of the moral universe is long
Video examples
Building smart cities PIPE...
considered the most democratic political building that we have in the world that is the city as a living system I love this image which I saw in the in the Venice architecture Biennale this past summer and it so shows this city you know the animal in this is the arc
Video examples
Parag Khanna maps the...
have not delivered us peace in this conflict. What might? I believe that what might solve the problem is infrastructure. Today donors are spending billions of dollars on this. These two arrows are an arc, an arc of commuter railroads and other infrastructure
Video examples
Why should you read Kurt...
Vonnegut thought this kind of story was the truest to real life, in which we are all the victims of a series of accidents, unable to predict how events will impact us long term. He found the tidy, satisfying arcs of many stories at odds with this reality,
Video examples
How Powerful Is a Dog's...
barking and knowing what we've tried and tried to do is work our way down wind again Criss crossing the wind until she starts to bark again Neal and the search team have honed their partnership with firm to an arc Neal can tell from ferns
Video examples
What are animals...
They've known each other for decades. They know exactly who they are. They know who their friends are. They know who their rivals are. Their life follows the arc of a career. They know where they are all the time.
Video examples
Connected, but alone? PIPE...
It comforted her. And many people found this amazing. But that woman was trying to make sense of her life with a machine that had no experience of the arc of a human life.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Jeff Lemire
Canadian Artist
I can't really write anything without knowing the ending. I don't know how people do that. Even with my superhero stuff, I have to know at least where I want to take the characters and what the ending of my story with them will be. I just can't structure stories or character arcs and stuff without knowing the endpoint.
Quote examples
Jaideep Ahlawat
Indian Actor
Hathi Ram's journey intrigued me. He is a very vulnerable character. I was never offered such a role of a man who is a failure in life and is desperate to prove himself. It was a good change for me to play someone with such a nice arc and so many shades to his personality.
Quote examples
Noah Wyle
American Actor
With any project, but especially in television, I always try to look at where the character is starting from and where he's going to end up, and try to find the biggest arc that makes it the most exciting to play.
Quote examples
Garth Stein
American Author
In documentary films, you're a storyteller using found objects. You still have to have a story arc and all the elements that make a good story. It really helped me mature as a storyteller.
Quote examples
Eric Balfour
American Actor
The stories that I like to tell and the movies I like are always grounded in the emotional arc of the characters.
Quote examples
Eric Church
American Musician
My favorite artists are the ones that I can take their eight or ten albums, and I can see the arc of their life.
Quote examples
Laura van den Berg
American Writer
With both novels and short stories, I think a lot in terms of character arcs, when it comes to endings.
Quote examples
Jim Starlin
American Artist
I like my characters to go through some changes during a story arc.
Quote examples
Martin Luther King, Jr.
American Leader
The moral arc of the universe bends at the elbow of justice.
Quote examples
Mae Whitman
American Actress
For me, one thing I love is having an arc for a character.
Quote examples
Jeff Lemire
Canadian Artist
I can't really write anything without knowing the ending. I don't know how people do that. Even with my superhero stuff, I have to know at least where I want to take the characters and what the ending of my story with them will be. I just can't structure stories or character arcs and stuff without knowing the endpoint.
Quote examples
Jaideep Ahlawat
Indian Actor
Hathi Ram's journey intrigued me. He is a very vulnerable character. I was never offered such a role of a man who is a failure in life and is desperate to prove himself. It was a good change for me to play someone with such a nice arc and so many shades to his personality.
Quote examples
Noah Wyle
American Actor
With any project, but especially in television, I always try to look at where the character is starting from and where he's going to end up, and try to find the biggest arc that makes it the most exciting to play.
Quote examples
Garth Stein
American Author
In documentary films, you're a storyteller using found objects. You still have to have a story arc and all the elements that make a good story. It really helped me mature as a storyteller.
Quote examples
Eric Balfour
American Actor
The stories that I like to tell and the movies I like are always grounded in the emotional arc of the characters.
Quote examples
Eric Church
American Musician
My favorite artists are the ones that I can take their eight or ten albums, and I can see the arc of their life.
Quote examples
Laura van den Berg
American Writer
With both novels and short stories, I think a lot in terms of character arcs, when it comes to endings.
Quote examples
Jim Starlin
American Artist
I like my characters to go through some changes during a story arc.
Quote examples
Martin Luther King, Jr.
American Leader
The moral arc of the universe bends at the elbow of justice.
Quote examples
Mae Whitman
American Actress
For me, one thing I love is having an arc for a character.
Example 1 of 10
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