arch the back

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phrase

   to bend your spine backward so that your chest lifts and your stomach moves forward

   Grammar: Usually used with a possessive: arch your back. It takes an object, so you cannot say 'I arched' alone.

   Patterns

   • arch your back
   • arch the back
   • arch your back in something

   The yoga teacher told us to arch our backs and look up at the ceiling.

   The cat arched its back and hissed when the dog came near.

   If you arch your back too far, you may feel a sharp pain.

2. 2phrasefixed phrase

   to deliberately curve the spine backward as a stretch or exercise, often to relieve stiffness

   Grammar: Often appears in instructions after 'gently' or 'slowly': gently arch the back.

   Patterns

   • gently arch the back
   • slowly arch your back
   • arch the back and hold

   Sitting all day makes my back stiff, so I stand up and gently arch my back.

   The physiotherapist showed him how to arch the back without moving his hips.

   Hold the position for five seconds, then relax and arch the back again.

Common combinations

arch your back

She arched her back to stretch after the long drive.

gently arch the back

Gently arch the back and breathe out slowly.

the cat arched its back

The cat arched its back when it saw the vet.

arch your back in pain

He arched his back in pain when the cramp started.

Synonyms and how they differ

bend backward

More general: it can describe any part of the body, not only the spine.

curve

Used for shapes and lines as well as bodies, so it is less specific about the back.

Opposites

Word family

arched adjective

Curved or bent like a bow, as in 'an arched back'.

arching noun

The action of bending backward, as in 'a gentle arching of the spine'.

Commonly confused: arch the back or arc?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “arch the back”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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