7  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Beam  \Beam\,  n.  [AS.  be['a]m  beam,  post  tree,  ray  of  light; 
  akin  to  OFries  b[=a]m  tree,  OS  b?m,  D.  boom,  OHG.  boum, 
  poum,  G.  baum,  Icel.  ba?mr,  Goth.  bahms  and  Gr  ?  a  growth,  ? 
  to  become  to  be  Cf  L.  radius  staff,  rod,  spoke  of  a  wheel, 
  beam  or  ray,  and  G.  strahl  arrow,  spoke  of  a  wheel,  ray  or 
  beam,  flash  of  lightning.  ?97.  See  {Be};  cf  {Boom}  a  spar.] 
  1.  Any  large  piece  of  timber  or  iron  long  in  proportion  to 
  its  thickness,  and  prepared  for  use 
 
  2.  One  of  the  principal  horizontal  timbers  of  a  building  or 
  ship. 
 
  The  beams  of  a  vessel  are  strong  pieces  of  timber 
  stretching  across  from  side  to  side  to  support  the 
  decks.  --Totten. 
 
  3.  The  width  of  a  vessel;  as  one  vessel  is  said  to  have  more 
  beam  than  another. 
 
  4.  The  bar  of  a  balance,  from  the  ends  of  which  the  scales 
  are  suspended. 
 
  The  doubtful  beam  long  nods  from  side  to  side 
  --Pope. 
 
  5.  The  principal  stem  or  horn  of  a  stag  or  other  deer,  which 
  bears  the  antlers,  or  branches. 
 
  6.  The  pole  of  a  carriage.  [Poetic]  --Dryden. 
 
  7.  A  cylinder  of  wood,  making  part  of  a  loom,  on  which 
  weavers  wind  the  warp  before  weaving;  also  the  cylinder 
  on  which  the  cloth  is  rolled,  as  it  is  woven;  one  being 
  called  the  fore  beam,  the  other  the  back  beam. 
 
  8.  The  straight  part  or  shank  of  an  anchor. 
 
  9.  The  main  part  of  a  plow,  to  which  the  handles  and  colter 
  are  secured,  and  to  the  end  of  which  are  attached  the  oxen 
  or  horses  that  draw  it 
 
  10.  (Steam  Engine)  A  heavy  iron  lever  having  an  oscillating 
  motion  on  a  central  axis,  one  end  of  which  is  connected 
  with  the  piston  rod  from  which  it  receives  motion,  and 
  the  other  with  the  crank  of  the  wheel  shaft;  --  called 
  also  {working  beam}  or  {walking  beam}. 
 
  11.  A  ray  or  collection  of  parallel  rays  emitted  from  the  sun 
  or  other  luminous  body;  as  a  beam  of  light,  or  of  heat. 
 
  How  far  that  little  candle  throws  his  beams  ! 
  --Shak. 
 
  12.  Fig.:  A  ray;  a  gleam;  as  a  beam  of  comfort. 
 
  Mercy  with  her  genial  beam.  --Keble. 
 
  13.  One  of  the  long  feathers  in  the  wing  of  a  hawk;  --  called 
  also  {beam  feather}. 
 
  {Abaft  the  beam}  (Naut.),  in  an  arc  of  the  horizon  between  a 
  line  that  crosses  the  ship  at  right  angles,  or  in  the 
  direction  of  her  beams,  and  that  point  of  the  compass 
  toward  which  her  stern  is  directed. 
 
  {Beam  center}  (Mach.),  the  fulcrum  or  pin  on  which  the 
  working  beam  of  an  engine  vibrates. 
 
  {Beam  compass},  an  instrument  consisting  of  a  rod  or  beam, 
  having  sliding  sockets  that  carry  steel  or  pencil  points; 
  --  used  for  drawing  or  describing  large  circles. 
 
  {Beam  engine},  a  steam  engine  having  a  working  beam  to 
  transmit  power,  in  distinction  from  one  which  has  its 
  piston  rod  attached  directly  to  the  crank  of  the  wheel 
  shaft. 
 
  {Before  the  beam}  (Naut.),  in  an  arc  of  the  horizon  included 
  between  a  line  that  crosses  the  ship  at  right  angles  and 
  that  point  of  the  compass  toward  which  the  ship  steers. 
 
  {On  the  beam},  in  a  line  with  the  beams,  or  at  right  angled 
  with  the  keel. 
 
  {On  the  weather  beam},  on  the  side  of  a  ship  which  faces  the 
  wind. 
 
  {To  be  on  her  beam  ends},  to  incline,  as  a  vessel,  so  much  on 
  one  side  that  her  beams  approach  a  vertical  position. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Beam  \Beam\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Beamed}  (?);  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Beaming}.] 
  To  send  forth;  to  emit;  --  followed  ordinarily  by  forth;  as 
  to  beam  forth  light. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Beam  \Beam\,  v.  i. 
  To  emit  beams  of  light. 
 
  He  beamed,  the  daystar  of  the  rising  age.  --Trumbull. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  beam 
  n  1:  a  signal  transmitted  along  a  narrow  path;  guides  pilots  in 
  darkness  or  bad  weather  [syn:  {radio  beam}] 
  2:  long  thick  piece  of  wood  or  metal  or  concrete,  etc.,  used  in 
  construction 
  3:  a  group  of  nearly  parallel  lines  of  electromagnetic 
  radiation 
  4:  a  column  of  light  (as  from  a  beacon)  [syn:  {beam  of  light}, 
  {light  beam},  {ray},  {ray  of  light},  {shaft},  {shaft  of 
  light}] 
  5:  breadth  amidships 
  6:  used  by  women  gymnasts  [syn:  {balance  beam}] 
  v  1:  smile  radiantly;  express  joy  through  one's  facial  expression 
  2:  emit  light;  be  bright,  as  of  the  sun  or  a  light;  "The  sun 
  shone  bright  that  day";  "the  fire  beamed  on  their  faces" 
  [syn:  {shine}] 
  3:  express  with  a  beaming  face  or  smile:  "he  beamed  his 
  approval" 
  4:  broadcast  over  the  airwaves,  as  in  radio  or  television;  "We 
  cannot  air  this  X-rated  song"  [syn:  {air},  {send},  {broadcast}, 
  {transmit}] 
  5:  esp.  of  the  complexion:  show  a  strong  bright  color,  such  as 
  red  or  pink;  "Her  face  glowed  when  she  came  out  of  the 
  sauna"  [syn:  {glow},  {radiate},  {shine}] 
  6:  experience  a  feeling  of  well-being  or  happiness,  as  from 
  good  health  or  an  intense  emotion;  "She  was  beaming  with 
  joy";  "Her  face  radiated  with  happiness"  [syn:  {glow},  {radiate}, 
  {shine}] 
 
  From  Jargon  File  (4.2.3,  23  NOV  2000)  [jargon]: 
 
  beam  vt  [from  Star  Trek  Classic's  "Beam  me  up  Scotty!"]  1. 
  To  transfer  {softcopy}  of  a  file  electronically;  most  often  in  combining 
  forms  such  as  `beam  me  a  copy'  or  `beam  that  over  to  his  site'.  2.  Palm 
  Pilot  users  very  commonly  use  this  term  for  the  act  of  exchanging  bits  via 
  the  infrared  links  on  their  machines  (this  term  seems  to  have  originated 
  with  the  ill-fated  Newton  Message  Pad).  Compare  {blast},  {snarf},  {BLT}. 
 
 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  beam 
 
  [Star  Trek  Classic's  "Beam  me  up  Scotty!"]  To  transfer 
  {softcopy}  of  a  file  electronically;  most  often  in  combining 
  forms  such  as  "beam  me  a  copy"  or  "beam  that  over  to  his 
  site".  Compare  {blast},  {snarf},  {BLT}. 
 
  [{Jargon  File}] 
 
 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Beam 
  occurs  in  the  Authorized  Version  as  the  rendering  of  various 
  Hebrew  words  In  1  Sam.  17:7,  it  means  a  weaver's  frame  or 
  principal  beam;  in  Hab.  2:11,  a  crossbeam  or  girder;  2  Kings 
  6:2,  5,  a  cross-piece  or  rafter  of  a  house;  1  Kings  7:6,  an 
  architectural  ornament  as  a  projecting  step  or  moulding;  Ezek. 
  41:25,  a  thick  plank.  In  the  New  Testament  the  word  occurs  only 
  in  Matt.  7:3,  4,  5,  and  Luke  6:41,  42,  where  it  means  (Gr. 
  dokos)  a  large  piece  of  wood  used  for  building  purposes,  as 
  contrasted  with  mote"  (Gr.  karphos),  a  small  piece  or  mere 
  splinter.  Mote"  and  beam"  became  proverbial  for  little  and 
  great  faults. 
 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words