beam

noun

A broad smile.

(figuratively) A ray; a gleam.

(physics) A ray or collection of approximately parallel rays emitted from the sun or other luminous body.

(structural) Any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to its thickness, and prepared for use.

(structural) One of the principal horizontal structural members, usually of steel, timber, or concrete, of a building.

(nautical) One of the transverse members of a ship's frame on which the decks are laid, and acting as part of the support for keeping the sides of the vessel in shape — supported at the sides by knees in wooden ships and by stringers in steel ones; cf. abeam, beam-ends.

(nautical) 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).

(nautical) The direction across a vessel, perpendicular to fore-and-aft.

(mechanical) The crossbar of a mechanical balance, from the ends of which the scales are suspended.

(mechanical) 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.

(agricultural) 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.

(music) A horizontal bar which connects the stems of two or more notes to group them and to indicate metric value.

(textiles) 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.

(anatomical, informal) The principal stem of the antler of a deer.

(anatomical, informal) One of the long feathers in the wing of a hawk.

(nautical) The straight part or shank of an anchor.

(railway) An elevated rectangular dirt pile used to cheaply build an elevated portion of a railway.

A surname.

(gymnastics) Ellipsis of balance beam. [(gymnastics) A gymnastics apparatus, a narrow wooden rail used in artistic (athletic) gymnastics.]

(programming, Erlang) Acronym of Bogdan's Erlang Abstract Machine.

(literary) The pole of a carriage or chariot.

verb

(ambitransitive) To emit beams of light; to shine; to radiate.

(intransitive, figuratively) To smile broadly or especially cheerfully.

(transitive) To furnish or supply with beams.

(transitive) To give the appearance of beams to.

(transitive, science fiction) To transmit matter or information via a high-tech wireless mechanism.

(transitive, computing) To transmit, especially by direct wireless means such as infrared.

(transitive, currying) To stretch something (for example, an animal hide) on a beam.

(transitive, weaving) To put (something) on a beam.

(transitive, music) To connect (musical notes) with a beam, or thick line, in music notation.

Synonyms for beam

radiatev girdern rayn glown joistn transmitv crossbeamn shaftn transomn ridgepolen shinen

Synonyms & related words for beam

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Words related to beam

Explore words related to beam — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include irradiation, photons, collimator, beamy, collimated, stemson, irradiant, keelson. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for beam

Common synonyms for beam include radiate, girder, ray, glow, joist, transmit, crossbeam, shaft — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.