C1 adjective Literário

arch

/ɑːrtʃ/

As an adjective, 'arch' describes a style of communication or a look that is playfully mischievous, knowing, or ironic. It implies that the person is teasing or shares a secret understanding that others might not possess.

Exemplos

3 de 5
1

She gave him an arch look when he pretended not to know who had sent the flowers.

She gave him a knowing, playful look when he pretended not to know who had sent the flowers.

2

The professor's arch comments about the curriculum suggested he found the new rules slightly absurd.

The professor's ironic comments about the curriculum suggested he found the new rules slightly absurd.

3

Stop being so arch and just tell me the gossip already!

Stop being so mysterious and playful and just tell me the gossip already!

Família de palavras

Substantivo
archness
Advérbio
archly
Adjetivo
arch
Relacionado
arch-rival
💡

Dica de memorização

Visualize someone raising their eyebrow into the shape of an 'arch' while they tell you a playful secret or a sarcastic joke.

Quiz rápido

When I asked if she knew about the surprise party, she just gave me an ______ smile and walked away.

Correto!

A resposta correta é: arch

Exemplos

1

She gave him an arch look when he pretended not to know who had sent the flowers.

everyday

She gave him a knowing, playful look when he pretended not to know who had sent the flowers.

2

The professor's arch comments about the curriculum suggested he found the new rules slightly absurd.

formal

The professor's ironic comments about the curriculum suggested he found the new rules slightly absurd.

3

Stop being so arch and just tell me the gossip already!

informal

Stop being so mysterious and playful and just tell me the gossip already!

4

The novelist employs an arch narrative voice to critique the vanity of the upper classes.

academic

The novelist employs a sophisticated and ironic narrative voice to critique the vanity of the upper classes.

5

The marketing director made an arch remark about the competitor's surprisingly high prices.

business

The marketing director made a sly, knowing remark about the competitor's surprisingly high prices.

Família de palavras

Substantivo
archness
Advérbio
archly
Adjetivo
arch
Relacionado
arch-rival

Colocações comuns

arch smile a knowing or mischievous smile
arch look a playful or teasing facial expression
arch tone a voice that sounds ironic or teasing
arch eyebrow an eyebrow raised in a knowing or skeptical way
arch comment a remark intended to be sly or witty

Frases Comuns

with an arch expression

having a playful or teasing look on one's face

arch-nemesis

a principal or chief enemy (different sense of 'arch')

arch-villain

a main or most powerful villain

Frequentemente confundido com

arch vs arch (noun)

The noun refers to a curved physical structure; the adjective refers to a mischievous personality trait.

arch vs arched

'Arched' describes something physically curved into a shape, while 'arch' describes a tone or attitude.

📝

Notas de uso

This adjective is primarily used in literary contexts or sophisticated social descriptions. It almost always describes a facial expression, a tone of voice, or a specific remark that suggests the person knows more than they are saying.

⚠️

Erros comuns

Learners often mistakenly use 'arch' as an adjective to describe physical shapes (e.g., 'an arch window'), when they should use 'arched'.

💡

Dica de memorização

Visualize someone raising their eyebrow into the shape of an 'arch' while they tell you a playful secret or a sarcastic joke.

📖

Origem da palavra

Derived from the Greek 'arkhos' (meaning chief or principal), it evolved from 'arch-rogue' (a chief rogue) to describing the playful, sly characteristics associated with such a person.

Padrões gramaticais

Used attributively (before a noun) like 'an arch smile'. Can be used predicatively (after a verb) like 'Her tone was arch'.
🌍

Contexto cultural

The term is frequently encountered in 19th and 20th-century British literature, such as the works of Jane Austen or Oscar Wilde, to denote subtle social wit.

Quiz rápido

When I asked if she knew about the surprise party, she just gave me an ______ smile and walked away.

Correto!

A resposta correta é: arch

Palavras relacionadas

subcapure

C1

Relating to a secondary or subordinate stage of capturing data, images, or specimens within a larger primary process. It describes a nested acquisition mechanism used to record specific subsets of information under a broader set of parameters.

triunior

C1

A triunior is a specialized term used in certain organizational or tripartite structures to denote a third-tier junior member or an entry-level official within a specific hierarchy. It refers to an individual who occupies the lowest level of a three-part junior classification system, often found in niche administrative or academic contexts.

pretracttion

C1

To exert a forward-moving force or tension on a physical structure, usually as a preliminary step in a technical or medical process. It involves drawing a component toward the front or applying tension prior to a primary action to ensure proper alignment or stability.

microprivic

C1

To selectively remove or strip away minuscule, often essential, components from a larger structure or system. This verb describes a process of highly precise deprivation occurring at a microscopic or granular level.

extraprehendery

C1

Describing knowledge or insights that lie beyond the standard limits of human perception or intellectual grasp. It often refers to concepts that are highly abstract, metaphysical, or so complex that they require a specialized or transcendent way of thinking to be understood.

circumscendic

C1

Describing a movement or path that involves climbing or scaling around the perimeter of an object. It often refers to a circuitous upward trajectory used to bypass obstacles or cover the entirety of a vertical structure.

rematerine

C1

To re-incorporate or restore something to its original material or essential state, especially after it has been fragmented, digitized, or abstractly altered. It describes the process of making an abstract concept or a digital set of data tangible and physical once more.

explicine

C1

Describes information, structures, or concepts that are inherently self-explanatory and unfold their meaning clearly without the need for external interpretation. It refers to a state of being naturally transparent or methodically detailed in a way that precludes ambiguity.

comdurist

C1

Describing an attitude or strategy characterized by an unyielding, steadfast commitment to enduring challenges over a long period. It refers to the quality of being resolutely persistent despite significant hardship or delay in results.

dishospation

C1

Describing an attitude or environment that is significantly lacking in hospitality or friendliness toward guests. It denotes an actively unwelcoming, cold, or repellent reception in social, professional, or academic settings.

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