arsis
/ˈɑrsɪs/
noun
- In poetry, the stressed or accented part of a metrical foot.
- Students learning meter must identify which syllables receive the arsis.
- The poet placed the arsis on the first syllable to create a strong opening beat.
- In the line 'The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,' the arsis falls on 'tolls' and 'knell.'
- In music, the upbeat or the weaker part of a measure that leads into a downbeat.
- In this waltz, the arsis is the light lift before the strong downbeat.
- Drummers often emphasize the arsis to create a sense of anticipation.
- The conductor raised his baton on the arsis to signal the orchestra to begin.
Antonyms