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Word Study
beam
CIDE DICTIONARY
beam, n. [AS. beám beam, post, tree, ray of light; akin to OFries. bām tree, OS. b, D. boom, OHG. boum, poum, G. baum, Icel. ba, Goth. bagms and Gr. fy^ma a growth, fy^nai 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. Be; cf. Boom a spar.].
- Any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to its thickness, and prepared for use. [1913 Webster]
- One of the principal horizontal timbers of a building or ship. [1913 Webster]"The beams of a vessel are strong pieces of timber stretching across from side to side to support the decks." [1913 Webster]
- The width of a vessel; as, one vessel is said to have more beam than another. [1913 Webster]
- The bar of a balance, from the ends of which the scales are suspended. [1913 Webster]"The doubtful beam long nods from side to side." [1913 Webster]
- The principal stem or horn of a stag or other deer, which bears the antlers, or branches. [1913 Webster]
- The pole of a carriage. Dryden. [1913 Webster]
- 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. [1913 Webster]
- The straight part or shank of an anchor. [1913 Webster]
- 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. [1913 Webster]
- 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 orwalking beam . [1913 Webster] - A ray or collection of parallel rays emitted from the sun or other luminous body; as, a beam of light, or of heat. [1913 Webster]"How far that little candle throws his beams!" [1913 Webster]
- A ray; a gleam; as, a beam of comfort. [1913 Webster]"Mercy with her genial beam." [1913 Webster]
- One of the long feathers in the wing of a hawk; -- called also
beam feather . [1913 Webster]
beam, v. t.
To send forth; to emit; -- followed ordinarily by forth ; as, to beam forth light. [1913 Webster]
beam, v. i.
To emit beams of light. [1913 Webster]
"He beamed, the daystar of the rising age." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
beam, n. & v.
--n.
1 a long sturdy piece of squared timber or metal spanning an opening or room, usu. to support the structure above.
2 a a ray or shaft of light. b a directional flow of particles or radiation.
3 a bright look or smile.
4 a a series of radio or radar signals as a guide to a ship or aircraft. b the course indicated by this (off beam).
5 the crossbar of a balance.
6 a a ship's breadth at its widest point. b the width of a person's hips (esp. broad in the beam).
7 (in pl.) the horizontal cross-timbers of a ship supporting the deck and joining the sides.
8 the side of a ship (land on the port beam).
9 the chief timber of a plough.
10 the cylinder in a loom on which the warp or cloth is wound.
11 the main stem of a stag's antlers.
12 the lever in an engine connecting the piston-rod and crank.
13 the shank of an anchor.
--v.
1 tr. emit or direct (light, radio waves, etc.).
2 intr. a shine. b look or smile radiantly.
--n.
1 a long sturdy piece of squared timber or metal spanning an opening or room, usu. to support the structure above.
2 a a ray or shaft of light. b a directional flow of particles or radiation.
3 a bright look or smile.
4 a a series of radio or radar signals as a guide to a ship or aircraft. b the course indicated by this (off beam).
5 the crossbar of a balance.
6 a a ship's breadth at its widest point. b the width of a person's hips (esp. broad in the beam).
7 (in pl.) the horizontal cross-timbers of a ship supporting the deck and joining the sides.
8 the side of a ship (land on the port beam).
9 the chief timber of a plough.
10 the cylinder in a loom on which the warp or cloth is wound.
11 the main stem of a stag's antlers.
12 the lever in an engine connecting the piston-rod and crank.
13 the shank of an anchor.
--v.
1 tr. emit or direct (light, radio waves, etc.).
2 intr. a shine. b look or smile radiantly.
Idiom
beam-compass (or -compasses) compasses with a beam connecting sliding sockets, used for large circles. a beam in one's eye a fault that is greater in oneself than in the person one is finding fault with (see Matt. 7:3). off beam colloq. mistaken. on the beam colloq. on the right track. on the beam-ends (of a ship) on its side; almost capsizing. on one's beam-ends near the end of one's resources.
Etymology
OE beam tree f. WG
THESAURUS
beam
AM signal, CRT spot, DM display, Doppler signal, FM signal, H beam, I beam, IF signal, IF video signal, IM display, RF amplifier, RF echoes, RF signal, RF stage, TV band, X ray, abutment, actinic ray, actinism, amplitude, angle rafter, arc-boutant, atomic beam, atomic ray, audio signal, backside, balk, bank, bar, batten, be bright, be in heaven, be pleased, beacon, beam, beam of light, beat signal, bedazzle, beggar description, behind, billet, blaze, blind, blips, bloom, board, boarding, boom, border, bottom, bounce, bounces, box girder, brace, breadth, breakwater, breastsummer, bright smile, broad grin, broadcast, broadness, broadside, bulwark, burn, buttress, buttress pier, buttressing, can, cant hook, caper, caracole, cheek, chirp, chirrup, chop, clapboard, claw bar, coast, corbel, cord, cordwood, crack a smile, crank, crossbeam, crosstie, crow, crowbar, dance, daze, dazzle, deal, delight, derriere, die with delight, diffuse light, direct signal, display, distance across, double-dot display, driftwood, ear-to-ear grin, echo, echo signal, embankment, equalizing pulse, expanse, extent, fan marker, fanny, feel happy, firewood, flame, flank, flare, flare path, flash, flying buttress, footing beam, frolic, fulgurate, fullness, gambol, gamma ray, girder, give light, glance, glare, gleam, gleaming smile, glint, glow, glowing smile, go into raptures, grin, grinning, groin, hammer beam, hand, handedness, handspike, hanging buttress, hardwood, haunch, hip, hip rafter, idiotic grin, incandesce, infrared ray, invisible radiation, iron crow, jam, jetty, jimmy, joist, jowl, joy, jutty, knock dead, laterality, lath, lathing, lathwork, latitude, lattice girder, laugh, leam, lever, lilt, limb, lintel, local oscillator signal, log, lumber, luster, many-sidedness, marker, marlinespike, mole, multilaterality, newscast, output pulse, output signal, outrigger, panelboard, paneling, panelwork, patch, peavey, pedal, pencil, photoemission, photon, picture, picture carrier, pier, pier buttress, pinch bar, pips, plank, planking, plate girder, plyboard, plywood, pole, post, posterior, prize, profile, pry, puncheon, purr, pylon, quarter, racon, radar beacon, radar signal, radiate, radiate cheer, radiation, radio, radio beacon, radio-frequency amplifier, radio-frequency signal, radio-frequency stage, radiobroadcast, radiorays, rafter, rampart, ray, ray of light, reading, rear, reflected signal, reflection, retaining wall, return, return beam, return signal, ribbon, ribbon of light, ridge strut, ridgepole, ripping bar, romp, sardonic grin, scanning beam, seat, seawall, send, send out rays, shaft, shake, sheathing, sheathing board, sheeting, shine, shine brightly, shingle, shoot, shoot out rays, shore, shortwave, shortwave signal, shoulder, side, sideboard, siding, sign off, sign on, signal, signal display, sill, simper, sing, skip, slab, slat, sleeper, smile, smile brightly, smiling, smirk, softwood, solar rays, sound carrier, span, spar, sparkle, splat, sportscast, spot, spread, sprit, stave, stick, stick of wood, stovewood, streak, stream, stream of light, streamer, stringpiece, strut, stud, studding, stupid grin, summer, summertree, synchronizing signal, take great satisfaction, target image, television channel, temple, three-by-four, tie, tie beam, timber, timbering, timberwork, toothful grin, trace, transmit, transmitter signal, transom, transverse, trave, traverse, tread on air, treadle, trestle, truss, truss beam, two-by-four, ultraviolet ray, unidirectional signal, unilaterality, vertical synchronizing pulse, video signal, violet ray, voltage pulse, weatherboard, whistle, wideness, width, wind cone, wind indicator, wind sock, wireless, wood, wrecking barROGET THESAURUS
beam
Beauty
VB be beautiful, shine, beam, bloom, become one, set off, grace, render beautiful, beautify, polish, burnish, gild, set out, snatch a grace beyond the reach of art.Support
N support, ground, foundation, base, basis, terra firma, bearing, fulcrum, bait, caudex crib, point d'appui, pou sto, purchase footing, hold, locus standi, landing place, landing stage, stage, platform, block, rest, resting place, groundwork, substratum, riprap, sustentation, subvention, floor, supporter, aid, prop, stand, anvil, fulciment, cue rest, jigger, monkey, stay, shore, skid, rib, truss, bandage, sleeper, stirrup, stilts, shoe, sole, heel, splint, lap, bar, rod, boom, sprit, outrigger, ratlings, staff, stick, crutch, alpenstock, baton, staddle, bourdon, cowlstaff, lathi, mahlstick, post, pillar, shaft, thill, column, pilaster, pediment, pedicle, pedestal, plinth, shank, leg, socle, zocle, buttress, jamb, mullion, abutment, baluster, banister, stanchion, balustrade, headstone, upright, door post, jamb, door jamb, frame, framework, scaffold, skeleton, beam, rafter, girder, lintel, joist, travis, trave, corner stone, summer, transom, rung, round, step, sill, angle rafter, hip rafter, cantilever, modillion, crown post, king post, vertebra, columella, backbone, keystone, axle, axletree, axis, arch, mainstay, trunnion, pivot, rowlock, peg, tiebeam, thole pin, board, ledge, shelf, hob, bracket, trevet, trivet, arbor, rack, mantel, mantle piece, mantleshelf, slab, console, counter, dresser, flange, corbel, table, trestle, shoulder, perch, horse, easel, desk, clotheshorse, hatrack, retable, teapoy, seat, throne, dais, divan, musnud, chair, bench, form, stool, sofa, settee, stall, arm chair, easy chair, elbow chair, rocking chair, couch, fauteuil, woolsack, ottoman, settle, squab, bench, aparejo, faldstool, horn, long chair, long sleeve chair, morris chair, lamba chauki, lamba kursi, saddle, pannel, pillion, side saddle, pack saddle, pommel, bed, berth, pallet, tester, crib, cot, hammock, shakedown, trucklebed, cradle, litter, stretcher, bedstead, four poster, French bed, bunk, kip, palang, bedding, bichhona, mattress, paillasse, pillow, bolster, mat, rug, cushion, footstool, hassock, tabouret, tripod, monopod, Atlas, Persides, Atlantes, Caryatides, Hercules, supporting, supported, fundamental, dorsigerous, astride on, straddle.Laterality
N laterality, side, flank, quarter, lee, hand, cheek, jowl, jole, wing, profile, temple, parietes, loin, haunch, hip, beam, gable, gable end, broadside, lee side, points of the compass, East, Orient, Levant, West, orientation, lateral, sidelong, collateral, parietal, flanking, skirting, flanked, sideling, many sided, multilateral, bilateral, trilateral, quadrilateral, Eastern, orient, oriental, Levantine, Western, occidental, Hesperian, sideways, sidelong, broadside on, on one side, abreast, alongside, beside, aside, by the side of, side by side, cheek by jowl, to windward, to leeward, laterally, right and left, on her beam ends, his cheek the may of days outworn.Gravity
N gravity, gravitation, weight, heaviness, specific gravity, pondorosity, pressure, load, burden, burthen, ballast, counterpoise, lump of, mass of, weight of, lead, millstone, mountain, Ossa on Pelion, weighing, ponderation, trutination, weights, avoirdupois weight, troy weight, apothecaries' weight, grain, scruple, drachma, ounce, pound, lb, arroba, load, stone, hundredweight, cwt, ton, long ton, metric ton, quintal, carat, pennyweight, tod, gram, centigram, milligram, microgram, kilogram, nanogram, picogram, femtogram, attogram, balance, scale, scales, steelyard, beam, weighbridge, spring balance, piezoelectric balance, analytical balance, two-pan balance, one-pan balance, postal scale, baby scale, statics, weighty, weighing, heavy as lead, ponderous, ponderable, lumpish, lumpy, cumbersome, burdensome, cumbrous, unwieldy, massive, incumbent, superincumbent.Light
N light, ray, beam, stream, gleam, streak, pencil, sunbeam, moonbeam, aurora, day, sunshine, light of day, light of heaven, moonlight, starlight, sunlight, daylight, broad daylight, noontide light, noontide, noonday, noonday sun, glow, glimmering, glint, play of light, flood of light, phosphorescence, lambent flame, flush, halo, glory, nimbus, aureola, spark, scintilla, facula, sparkling, emication, scintillation, flash, blaze, coruscation, fulguration, flame, lightning, levin, ignis fatuus, luster, sheen, shimmer, reflexion, reflection, gloss, tinsel, spangle, brightness, brilliancy, splendor, effulgence, refulgence, fulgor, fulgidity, dazzlement, resplendence, transplendency, luminousness, luminosity, lucidity, renitency, nitency, radiance, radiation, irradiation, illumination, actinic rays, actinism, Roentgen-ray, Xray, photography, heliography, photometer, optics, photology, photometry, dioptrics, catoptrics, chiaroscuro, clairobscur, clear obscure, breadth, light and shade, black and white, tonality, reflection, refraction, dispersion, refractivity, shining, luminous, luminiferous, lucid, lucent, luculent, lucific, luciferous, light, lightsome, bright, vivid, splendent, nitid, lustrous, shiny, beamy, scintillant, radiant, lambent, sheen, sheeny, glossy, burnished, glassy, sunny, orient, meridian, noonday, tide, cloudless, clear, unclouded, unobscured, gairish, garish, resplendent, transplendent, refulgent, effulgent, fulgid, fulgent, relucent, splendid, blazing, in a blaze, ablaze, rutilant, meteoric, phosphorescent, aglow, bright as silver, light as day, bright as day, light as noonday, bright as noonday, bright as the sun at noonday, actinic, photogenic, graphic, heliographic, heliophagous, a day for gods to stoop and men to soar, dark with excessive bright.VB shine, glow, glitter, glister, glisten, twinkle, gleam, flare, flare up, glare, beam, shimmer, glimmer, flicker, sparkle, scintillate, coruscate, flash, blaze, be bright, reflect light, daze, dazzle, bedazzle, radiate, shoot out beams, fulgurate, clear up, brighten, lighten, enlighten, levin, light, light up, irradiate, shine upon, give out a light, hang out a light, cast light upon, cast light in, throw light upon, throw light in, shed light upon, shed luster upon, illume, illumine, illuminate, relume, strike a light, kindle.
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