1. a sloping surface or course of stones that supports the end of an arch
Usage: architecture

Examples

• The mason carefully shaped the skewback to provide proper support for the arch.
• Each skewback was cut at a precise angle to distribute the arch’s weight evenly.
• The stone skewback showed signs of weathering after decades of supporting the bridge.
• Engineers inspected the skewback for cracks before approving the restoration project.
• The architect specified granite for the skewback due to its superior load-bearing capacity.