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Corbel

Architecture
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A projecting block that supports weight above it. Poetically, it is a small phrase or image that carries an unexpectedly heavy turn.

Detailed Definition
A corbel is a stone, brick, or wooden projection built into a wall to support a beam, balcony, or upper course of masonry. In poetry, it names a compact supporting device: a brief clause, recurring object, or modest detail that bears disproportionate emotional or structural weight. A corbel may seem incidental until the poem's larger movement rests upon it. The metaphor rewards attention to small elements that make a bold projection, conclusion, or shift possible.
Example
Example in poetry:
A corbel is a projecting stone that supports weight above it, useful in poems about hidden labor: “The corbels bore the roof, unnoticed beneath their carved faces”; In a gothic setting, weathered corbels can be described as small stone creatures watching from a wall; “Swallows built beneath the corbel’s ledge” joins precise architecture with living movement; A poet may use a corbel metaphorically for a modest person whose quiet effort supports a larger community
Additional Notes
A corbel is a small support carrying disproportionate weight. Notice brief phrases, pivots, or minor images that uphold a poem’s major emotional turn or structural shift.
Also Known As
Bracket Corbel Stone
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