arc

Etymology

From Middle English ark, from Old French arc, from Latin arcus (“a bow, arc, arch”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂erkʷos (“bow, arrow”). Doublet of arch, arco, and arrow.

noun

1. (astronomy) That part of a circle which a heavenly body appears to pass through as it moves above and below the horizon.
2. (geometry) A continuous part of the circumference of a circle (circular arc) or of another curve.
3. A curve, in general.
4. A band contained within parallel curves, or something of that shape.
5. (electrics) A flow of current across an insulating medium; especially a hot, luminous discharge between either two electrodes or as lightning.
6. A story arc.
7. (mathematics) A continuous mapping from a real interval (typically [0, 1]) into a space.
8. (graph theory) A directed edge.
9. (basketball, slang) The three-point line.
10. (film) An arclight.
    For all practical purposes the old carbon arcs, which were the backbone of film lighting, are no longer used. 2012, Kris Malkiewicz, Film Lighting

verb

1. (transitive, intransitive) To move following a curved path.
   A warring bloodhunter detected it and skillfully arced his sword through its spinal column before it could return to follow through with its attack. 2008, T. R. Elmore, Blood Ties Series, Volume 1, Tainted, Book 1, page 106
   Gatland's side got back to within striking distance when fly-half Jones's clever pass sent centre Jonathan Davies arcing round Shontayne Hape. February 4, 2011, Gareth Roberts, “Wales 19-26 England”, in BBC
2. (transitive) To shape into an arc; to hold in the form of an arc.
3. (intransitive) To form an electrical arc.