"structure (in a building, bridge, etc.) in the shape of a curve that stands when supported only a the extremities," c. 1300, from Old French arche "arch of a bridge, arcade" (12c.), from Latin arcus "a bow" (see arc (n.)). It largely replaced native bow (n.1) in this sense.
Originally architectural in English; transferred by early 15c. to anything having a curved form (eyebrows, feet, etc.). The commemorative or monumental arch is attested in English from late 14c.
Compare Middle English Seinte Marie Chirche of the Arches (c. 1300) in London, later known as St. Mary-le-Bow, site of an ecclesiastical court, so called for the arches that supported its steeple (the modern church is by Sir Christopher Wren, rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1666).
"a drain of brickwork or masonry under a road, railroad, etc.," 1773, origin unknown; OED calls it "A recent word of obscure origin." Perhaps, as Weekley suggested long ago, it is the name of a long-forgotten engineer or bridge-builder.
early 14c., "a support for something," from Old French trestel "crossbeam" (12c., Modern French tréteu), presumed to be an alteration of Vulgar Latin *transtellum, diminutive of transtrum "beam, crossbar" (see transom). Specific meaning "support for a bridge" is recorded from 1796.
"act of passing through a gate, crossing a bridge, etc.," mid-14c., from Old French travers, from traverser (see traverse (v.)). Meaning "a passage by which one may traverse" is recorded from 1670s. Military fortification sense of "barrier, barricade" is recorded from 1590s.
by 1914 as "to subject to psychoanalysis," short for psychoanalyze. From 1934 as "to outsmart" (also psych out), and by 1952 in bridge as "make a bid meant to deceive an opponent." From 1963 as "to unnerve." However to psych (oneself) up is from 1972; to be psyched up "stimulate (oneself), prepare mentally for a special effort" is attested from 1968.
ancient district of Anatolia on the southern coast of the Black Sea, from Latinized form of Greek Pontos "the Black Sea and the regions around it," literally "the sea," from a variant of the PIE root *pent- "to tread, go" that also produced Latin pons (genitive pontis) "bridge, passage;" see find (v.).
1580s, "a single word (usually a verb or adjective) made to refer to two or more nouns in a sentence" (but properly applying to only one of them), from Greek zeugma, "a zeugma; that which is used for joining; boat bridge," literally "a yoking," from zeugnynai "to yoke" (from PIE root *yeug- "to join").
["doorkeeper, janitor"] mid-13c. (late 12c. as a surname), "one who has charge of a door or gate; one who guards the gate of a bridge," from Anglo-French portour, Old French portier "gatekeeper" (12c.), from Late Latin portarius "gatekeeper," from Latin porta "city gate, gate; door, entrance," from PIE root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over."
"portable, accordion-like musical instrument," 1835, from concert + fem. ending -ina. Invented 1829 by English inventor Professor Charles Wheatstone (who also invented the stereoscope and the Wheatstone bridge). Concertina wire attested by 1917, so called from similarity to the musical instrument.
