Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adverb & adjective With a bow. Used chiefly as a direction to indicate the resumption of bowing after a pizzicato passage.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb music A note in string instrument musical notation indicating that the bow is to be used in the usual way, usually following a passage that is played pizzicato.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective (of instruments in the violin family) to be played with the bow

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Italian, bow, from Latin arcus.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Italian, from arco ("bow")

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word arco.

Examples

  • Pizzicato is a term that tells a string player to pluck the strings (so basically not use the bow until he sees the term "arco").

    recent posts - blip.tv (beta) 2009

  • Another example of herbal treatment for eczema is Pau D'arco which is often referred to as the herb that has immunity enhancing properties.

    xml's Blinklist.com 2008

  • Another example of herbal treatment for eczema is Pau D'arco which is often referred to as the herb that has immunity enhancing properties.

    xml's Blinklist.com 2008

  • We leave Lake Chapala soon for San Cristóbal and had planned a leisurely drive down the Pacific Coast from Lázaro Cardenas, Michoacan but think we´ll try that new arco rorte autopista that skirts Mexico City on the Chapala to Puebla leg of the journey.

    Things Are Rarely As They Seem in OZ 2009

  • We leave Lake Chapala soon for San Cristóbal and had planned a leisurely drive down the Pacific Coast from Lázaro Cardenas, Michoacan but think we´ll try that new arco rorte autopista that skirts Mexico City on the Chapala to Puebla leg of the journey.

    Things Are Rarely As They Seem in OZ 2009

  • "Interstellar Signals" had more gravitas, with Mr. Colley playing arco bass and Mr. Rogers extracting theremin-like sounds from his floorboard electronics set-up.

    The Sound Way Down in the Underground Will Friedwald 2011

  • "Interstellar Signals" had more gravitas, with Mr. Colley playing arco bass and Mr. Rogers extracting theremin-like sounds from his floorboard electronics set-up.

    The Sound Way Down in the Underground Will Friedwald 2011

  • Rather than his usual saxophones and brass, Mr. Morris's current ensemble consists mainly of symphonic strings even the double basses are bowed arco, woodwinds, and world-music instruments.

    Passing Down the Piano Torch Song Will Friedwald 2011

  • We leave Lake Chapala soon for San Cristóbal and had planned a leisurely drive down the Pacific Coast from Lázaro Cardenas, Michoacan but think we´ll try that new arco rorte autopista that skirts Mexico City on the Chapala to Puebla leg of the journey.

    Things Are Rarely As They Seem in OZ 2009

  • We leave Lake Chapala soon for San Cristóbal and had planned a leisurely drive down the Pacific Coast from Lázaro Cardenas, Michoacan but think we´ll try that new arco rorte autopista that skirts Mexico City on the Chapala to Puebla leg of the journey.

    Things Are Rarely As They Seem in OZ 2009

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • The opposite of pizzicato.

    August 30, 2007