Definition: beam
Source: WordNet (r) 1.7
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 column of light (as from a beacon) [syn: beam of light,
light beam, ray, ray of light, shaft, shaft of
light]
4: a group of nearly parallel lines of electromagnetic
radiation [syn: ray, electron beam]
5: breadth amidships
6: a gymnastic apparatus 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]
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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.
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.
Beam \Beam\, v. i.
To emit beams of light.
He beamed, the daystar of the rising age. --Trumbull.
Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (2003-OCT-10)
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]
Source: Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001)
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.
Source: Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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.
