Literary notes about Concave (AI summary)
The term “concave” appears in literature across a broad spectrum of contexts, used both to describe physical forms and to evoke deeper, sometimes metaphorical, impressions. Botanical and natural descriptions employ the word to capture the inward curvature of leaves and petals, as seen in discussions of leaves with a “conspicuous concave upper surface” ([1]) or floral structures with “concave petals” ([2], [3]). In scientific and technical writings, “concave” precisely defines the shape of mirrors and lenses, establishing key optical principles—whether describing the behavior of a concave mirror that inverts images ([4], [5], [6]) or explaining compound lens systems ([7], [8]). Moreover, the term enriches poetic and narrative language, as it is invoked to depict landscapes and metaphorical constructs, such as a “concave mirror” reflecting for clarity in perception ([9]) or the “brazen concave of the skies” heard in epic verse ([10]).
- ✲ Leaves flat or nearly so, or at least exhibit a conspicuous concave upper surface.
— from Grasses: A Handbook for use in the Field and Laboratory by H. Marshall (Harry Marshall) Ward - Corolla, 4–5 concave petals, slightly notched at the end.
— from The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera - The male flower has a corolla of 5–7 petals, violet-colored, concave, half oval, with pubescent borders; at its base a flat scale.
— from The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera - I. p. 54 A.A. & B.B Concave mirrors fixed on stands.
— from The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America by Thomas Jefferson - If a luminous body, as a burning taper, be placed in the focus of a concave mirror, how will the rays from it, be reflected? ( fig.
— from Conversations on Natural Philosophy, in which the Elements of that Science are Familiarly Explained by Mrs. (Jane Haldimand) Marcet - I had two round Copper Plates, each six Inches in Diameter, the one convex, the other concave, ground very true to one another.
— from Opticks : by Isaac Newton - He then tried lenses, and with a concave lens of flint, and a convex lens of crown, he corrected the colours.
— from Popular Scientific Recreationsin Natural Philosphy, Astronomy, Geology, Chemistry, etc., etc., etc. by Gaston Tissandier - A compound lens is needed, made up of a crown glass convex element, B , and a concave element, A , of flint glass.
— from How it Works by Archibald Williams - Then my perception grew clear and minute as though I saw things in a concave mirror.
— from The Country of the Blind, and Other Stories by H. G. Wells - " Then clash their sounding arms; the clangours rise, And shake the brazen concave of the skies.
— from The Iliad by Homer
