'Imperfect arch' definitions:

Definition of 'Imperfect arch'

From: GCIDE
  • Imperfect \Im*per"fect\, a. [L. imperfectus: pref. im- not + perfectus perfect: cf. F imparfait, whence OE. imparfit. See Perfect.]
  • 1. Not perfect; not complete in all its parts; wanting a part; deective; deficient. [1913 Webster]
  • Something he left imperfect in the state. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • Why, then, your other senses grow imperfect. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Wanting in some elementary organ that is essential to successful or normal activity. [1913 Webster]
  • He . . . stammered like a child, or an amazed, imperfect person. --Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. Not fulfilling its design; not realizing an ideal; not conformed to a standard or rule; not satisfying the taste or conscience; esthetically or morally defective. [1913 Webster]
  • Nothing imperfect or deficient left Of all that he created. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • Then say not man's imperfect, Heaven in fault; Say rather, man's as perfect as he ought. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
  • Imperfect arch, an arch of less than a semicircle; a skew arch.
  • Imperfect cadence (Mus.), one not ending with the tonic, but with the dominant or some other chord; one not giving complete rest; a half close.
  • Imperfect consonances (Mus.), chords like the third and sixth, whose ratios are less simple than those of the fifth and forth.
  • Imperfect flower (Bot.), a flower wanting either stamens or pistils. --Gray.
  • Imperfect interval (Mus.), one a semitone less than perfect; as, an imperfect fifth.
  • Imperfect number (Math.), a number either greater or less than the sum of its several divisors; in the former case, it is called also a defective number; in the latter, an abundant number.
  • Imperfect obligations (Law), obligations as of charity or gratitude, which cannot be enforced by law.
  • Imperfect power (Math.), a number which can not be produced by taking any whole number or vulgar fraction, as a factor, the number of times indicated by the power; thus, 9 is a perfect square, but an imperfect cube.
  • Imperfect tense (Gram.), a tense expressing past time and incomplete action. [1913 Webster]