beam
/biːm/
Dictionary
noun
- Any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to its thickness, and prepared for use.
- One of the principal horizontal timbers of a building; one of the transverse members of a ship's frame on which the decks are laid — supported at the sides by knees in wooden ships and by stringers in steel ones.
- The maximum width of a vessel (note that a vessel with a beam of 15 foot can also be said to be 15 foot abeam)
"This ship has more beam than that one."
- The crossbar of a mechanical balance, from the ends of which the scales are suspended.
- The principal stem of the antler of a deer.
- The pole of a carriage or chariot.
- A cylinder of wood, making part of a loom, on which weavers wind the warp before weaving and the cylinder on which the cloth is rolled, as it is woven.
- The straight part or shank of an anchor.
- The central bar 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.
- In steam engines, 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.
- A ray or collection of approximately parallel rays emitted from the sun or other luminous body.
"a beam of energy"
- A ray; a gleam.
"a beam of hope, or of comfort"
- One of the long feathers in the wing of a hawk.
- A horizontal bar which connects the stems of two or more notes to group them and to indicate metric value.
- An elevated rectangular dirt pile used to cheaply build an elevated portion of a railway.
verb
- To emit beams of light; shine; radiate.
"to beam forth light"
- To smile broadly or especially cheerfully.
- To furnish or supply with beams
- To give the appearance of beams to.
- To transmit matter or information via a high-tech wireless mechanism.
"Beam me up, Scotty; there's no intelligent life down here."
- (currying) To stretch something (for example an animal hide) on a beam.
- To put (something) on a beam
- To connect (musical notes) with a beam, or thick line, in music notation.
Play Word Games
Test your vocabulary and logic skills with our daily word puzzles. Will you find 'beam' in today's game?