'Beam' definitions:

Definition of 'beam'

(from WordNet)
noun
A signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather [syn: radio beam, beam]
noun
Long thick piece of wood or metal or concrete, etc., used in construction
noun
A group of nearly parallel lines of electromagnetic radiation [syn: beam, ray, electron beam]
noun
A column of light (as from a beacon) [syn: beam, beam of light, light beam, ray, ray of light, shaft, shaft of light, irradiation]
noun
(nautical) breadth amidships
noun
The broad side of a ship; "they sighted land on the port beam"
noun
A gymnastic apparatus used by women gymnasts [syn: balance beam, beam]
verb
Smile radiantly; express joy through one's facial expression
verb
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, beam]
verb
Express with a beaming face or smile; "he beamed his approval"
verb
Broadcast over the airwaves, as in radio or television; "We cannot air this X-rated song" [syn: air, send, broadcast, beam, transmit]
verb
Have a complexion with a strong bright color, such as red or pink; "Her face glowed when she came out of the sauna" [syn: glow, beam, radiate, shine]
verb
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, beam, radiate, shine]

Definition of 'Beam'

From: GCIDE
  • Beam \Beam\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Beamed (b[=e]md); p. pr. & vb. n. Beaming.] To send forth; to emit; -- followed ordinarily by forth; as, to beam forth light. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Beam'

From: GCIDE
  • Beam \Beam\, v. i. To emit beams of light. [1913 Webster]
  • He beamed, the daystar of the rising age. --Trumbull. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Beam'

From: GCIDE
  • Beam \Beam\ (b[=e]m), n. [AS. be['a]m beam, post, tree, ray of light; akin to OFries. b[=a]m tree, OS. b[=o]m, D. boom, OHG. boum, poum, G. baum, Icel. ba[eth]mr, 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. [root]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. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. 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. --Totten. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. The width of a vessel; as, one vessel is said to have more beam than another. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. 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. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. The principal stem or horn of a stag or other deer, which bears the antlers, or branches. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. The pole of a carriage. [Poetic] --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 8. The straight part or shank of an anchor. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 11. 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! --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 12. (Fig.): A ray; a gleam; as, a beam of comfort. [1913 Webster]
  • Mercy with her genial beam. --Keble. [1913 Webster]
  • 13. One of the long feathers in the wing of a hawk; -- called also beam feather. [1913 Webster]
  • 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 angles 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. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'beam'

From: 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.

Synonyms of 'beam'

From: Moby Thesaurus