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inarcare

to arch

verb een-ar-KAH-reh Rare
Body & Health Movement

Also means

to curve

Usage Note

Inarcare means to bend into an arc or arch — most often used for eyebrows (inarcare le sopracciglia = to raise one's eyebrows, literally or as a gesture of surprise). It takes avere as its auxiliary. The reflexive inarcarsi means to bend or buckle (la trave si è inarcata = the beam buckled). Its close relative arcuare is nearly synonymous but less idiomatic for eyebrows.

Examples

"Ha inarcato le sopracciglia per la sorpresa."

Natural Translation

She arched her eyebrows in surprise.

Literal Translation

She-has arched the eyebrows for the surprise.

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