beamn.¹

Brit.

/biːm/, U.S.

/bim/

Forms: Old English béam, Middle English bæm, beam, Middle English bem, Middle English beem, Middle English–1500s beme, (Middle English–1500s Scottish beym(e, beim, Middle English–1500s bealme), 1500s–1600s beame, 1500s– beam.

Origin: A word inherited from Germanic.

Etymology: Common Germanic: Old English béam ‘tree,’ ‘plank,’ = Old Frisian bâm , Old Saxon bâm , bôm , Middle Dutch, Dutch boom , Old High German, Middle High German boum , German baum ‘tree’ < West German *baumo-z . The East German words, Gothic bagm-s , Old Norse baðm-r ‘tree,’ though supposed to be identical, present phonetic differences of which no explanation has been found, and render somewhat doubtful the original Germanic form of the word, as also a suggested derivation (which would suit the West Germanic) from the verb root bû- , beu- , = Greek ϕυ- (compare ϕῦμα a growth), Sanskrit bhu- , bhaw- to grow (compare be v.). It remains uncertain whether the original sense was ‘tree’ as a kind of plant, or ‘tree’ as a wooden stem, stock, or post: Old English had both meanings, but that of (growing) ‘tree,’ the regular sense in the continental languages, is (except in a few compound names) lost in modern English, where the word has received many transferred applications, among which that of beam of light, sun-beam, is remarkable.

I. A material beam.

* of wood (actually or originally).

†1. A tree; only in Old English, except in the now unanalysed compounds, hornbeam n., quickbeam n., whitebeam n. or beam-tree, names of trees.

ΚΠ

826 Chart. Ecgberht in Cod. Dipl. V. 84 Súðæweardæ oð ðet scírhiltæ on ðonæ gréatan béam.

OE Riddle 55 7 Ic þæs beames mæg eaþe for eorlum æþelu secgan.

†2. The rood-tree or cross. (Cf. ‘hanged on a tree,’ Acts v. 30). beam-light: lighted candles placed before the rood. fees of the beam: perquisites of the unconsumed remnants of such candles.

ΘΚΠ

society > faith > aspects of faith > Bible, Scripture > biblical events > [noun] > crucifixion > instruments of crucifixion > the cross

roodOE

beamOE

rood-treeOE

treeOE

crouchc1000

holy roodOE

crossc1275

Holy crossc1290

gibbetc1450

cross patif1543

society > faith > artefacts > consumables > candle or light > [noun] > placed before or beside the rood > perquisites of unconsumed remains of

fees of the beam1461–83

society > trade and finance > management of money > income, revenue, or profit > [noun] > personal income or acquired wealth > casually or incidentally acquired > as thing left to servant or subordinate as right > specific

medkniche1235

fees of the beam1461–83

society > faith > artefacts > consumables > candle or light > [noun] > placed before or beside the rood

rood light1434

beam-light1529

society > faith > artefacts > symbol (general) > Christian symbols or images > [noun] > cross > model or figure of

crouchc1000

crossc1275

beam1720

OE Crist III 1093 He on þone halgan beam ahongen wæs fore moncynnes manforwyrhtu.

c1305 in Leg. Rood (1871) 146 Cristened we weore in Red rem, Whon his bodi bledde on þe Beem.

1461–83 in Coll. Ordinances Royal Househ. (1790) 49 The Deane of the Chapell hathe all the offerings of wax..with the moderate fees of the beame..wher the tapers be consumed into a shaftmennt.

1529 Bk. Founders' Comp. in Notes & Queries 3rd Ser. IX. 62 Payd for makyng of viij square tap^rs for the beme lyght of S^t. Marg^t..vs. iiijd.

1720 J. Strype Stow's Surv. of London (rev. ed.) I. i. xv. 69/2 The Cross and the Beam [i.e. the Rood] beyond the Altar.

a. A large piece of squared timber, long in proportion to its breadth and thickness, such as is used in house- or ship-building, where beams form important parts of the structure: originally, the squared timber of a whole tree, but now used without any such restriction. The ordinary current sense: for naval use, see II.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > materials > raw material > wood > wood in specific form > [noun] > roughly squared beam

beam978

balka1400

needle1428

joist1487

sill1488

rafter1553

timbera1575

bat1577

978 Anglo-Saxon Chron. At Calne..se halga Dunstan ana ætstod uppon anum beame.

1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. 288 Þe flor to brac vnder hem..Seyn Dunston by cas..hente hym by a bem, and ysaued was.

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 1606 Iacob..slep an sag and soðe drem Fro ðe erðe up til heuene bem A leddre stonden.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) l. 8783 Þe beem [Vesp. balk] þat moost þe werk shulde bynde.

1413 J. Lydgate Pilgr. of Sowle (1483) iv. iii. 59 A grete tre was hewen doune for to be made a beme.

1611 Bible (King James) 2 Kings vi. 2 Let vs..take thence euery man a beame, and let vs make vs a place there where we may dwell.

a1616 W. Shakespeare King John (1623) iv. iii. 130 A rush will be a beame To hang thee on.

1783 G. Crabbe Village i. 18 Such is that room which one rude beam divides.

b. with special shape or purpose indicated: camber-beam: one with its upper surface curving downward on both sides from the middle. collar-beam: a beam used to join together roof-rafters above the base of the roof, acting either as a tie or a strut. dragon-beam: a short piece of timber lying diagonally with the wall plates at the angles of the roof, for receiving the heel of the hip rafter. hammer-beam: a beam acting as a tie, but not extending across the whole span of the roof. tie-beam: the beam which connects the bottom of a pair of principal rafters, and prevents them from thrusting out the walls.

ΚΠ

1734 Builder's Dict. Dragon Beams are two strong Braces or Struts..meeting in an Angle upon the Shoulder of the Kingpiece.

1823 P. Nicholson New Pract. Builder 221 Camber-Beams, those beams used in the flats of truncated roofs, and raised in the middle with an obtuse angle, for discharging the rain water towards both sides of the roof.

1823 P. Nicholson New Pract. Builder 222 Dragon-beam, the piece of timber which supports the hip-rafter, and bisects the angle formed by the wall plates.

1845 J. H. Parker Gloss. Terms Archit. (ed. 4) I. 317 In the Perpendicular style hammer-beam roofs were introduced.

1845 J. H. Parker Gloss. Terms Archit. (ed. 4) I. 317 The [roof]..of Malvern priory had a variety of cross-braces above the tie-beams cut into ornamental featherings.

c. figurative, esp. with allusion to the figure of the mote and the beam (Matthew vii. 3).

ΚΠ

c1000 West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) vii. 3 Þú ne gesyhst þone beam on þinum agenum eagan.

OE Ælfric Homily (Trin. Cambr. B.15.34) in J. C. Pope Homilies of Ælfric (1968) II. No. ÆHom 14 153 (pp. 497-507) Ne mæg se langa beam licgan on þinum eagan, ac se beam getacnað þa teonfullan hatunge.

a1225 ( Rule St. Benet (Winteney) (1888) No. 2.17.3 Ðu gesawe þat streow on þinre swuster eage & ne geseage þone beam on þine agene eage.

1377 W. Langland Piers Plowman B. x. 264 Sithen a beem in þine owne ablyndeth þi-selue.

c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Luke vi. 42 Thou biholdist not a beem in thin owne yȝe?

1570 G. Harvey Let.-bk. 5 To pluck out the beame out of his own i.

1598 W. Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost iv. iii. 160 You found his Moth, the King your Moth did see: But I a Beame do finde in each of three.

a1649 W. Drummond Hist. James IV in Wks. (1711) 74 Her Tears and Prayers shook the strongest Beams of his Resolutions.

1845 tr. H. Latimer Let. in Serm. & Remains (modernized text) II. 314 Learn from your own beams to make allowance for your neighbour's motes.

4. The wooden roller or cylinder in a loom, on which the warp is wound before weaving; also called fore-beam, yarn-beam, yarn-roll beam. The similar roller on which the cloth is wound as it is woven; also called back-beam, breast-beam, cloth-beam.

ΘΚΠ

the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile manufacture > manufacture textile fabric or that which consists of > manufacture of textile fabric > [noun] > weaving > loom > beam

beam1382

axlea1634

c1000 Supp. Ælfric's Gloss. in Wülcker Voc. /187 Liciatorium, webbeam.

1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) 1 Sam. xvii. 7 The shaft of his speer was as the beem [ Coverdale, lome] of websters.

c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 30/2 Beeme of webstarrys lome, liciatorium.

1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Beame of timber wherupon embroderers..do rolle their worke, iugum.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor (1623) v. i. 22 I feare not Goliah with a Weauers beame .

1675 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Odysses xix. 230 So I A Beam set up, and then began to weave.

1831 G. R. Porter Treat. Silk Manuf. 215 The beam, or yarn-roll, on which the threads are wound.

5. The great timber of the plough, to which all the other parts of the plough-tail are fixed.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > farming > tools and implements > ploughing equipment > [noun] > plough > plough-beam

beamc1000

ploughbeama1325

plough stock1587

c1000 Ælfric Gloss. in Wülcker Voc. /104 Buris, sulh-beam.

c1450 in Wülcker Voc. /569 Burris, the plowebeme.

1483 Cath. Angl. 27/1 A beym of ye plwgh, buris.

1592 W. Warner Albions Eng. (rev. ed.) viii. xlii. 158 But to the Head-land shall our Plough, vnles we breake our Beame.

1787 T. Jefferson Corr. (1830) 135 The plough here is made with..a beam twelve feet long.

1832 C. Howard Sel. Farms (Libr. Useful Knowl.) 3 The plough is of a light construction..the length of the beam is six feet six inches.

a. The transverse bar from the ends of which the scales of a balance are suspended; the balance itself. Often figurative with reference to the scales held by the allegorical figure of justice.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement by weighing > equipment for weighing > [noun] > a weighing apparatus > a balance > beam of a balance

balk1399

beam1420

weigh-balkc1485

scale-beam1723

balance-yard1810

balance-beam1813

1420 in F. J. Furnivall Fifty Earliest Eng. Wills (1882) 46 A beme þat y weye þer-with.

1503 Act 19 Hen. VII vi Deceivable and untrue Beams and Scales.

1581 W. Lambarde Eirenarcha (1588) iv. xix. 605 Let us holde the beame, and put in balaunce their reasons on either side.

1712 A. Pope Rape of Locke ii, in Misc. Poems 372 The doubtful Beam long nods from side to side.

1802 A. Rees Cycl. at Balance The beam, the principal part of the balance, is a lever of the first kind.

1875 Encycl. Brit. at Balance The beam..is supported on a polished horizontal frame of agate or hard steel.

b. Phrases, the common beam, the King's beam (Historical); the public standard balance formerly in the custody of the Grocers' Company of London; figurative an authorized standard. to kick or strike the beam: (of one scale of a balance) to be so lightly loaded that it flies up and strikes the beam; to be greatly outweighed; often figurative.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement by weighing > equipment for weighing > [noun] > a weighing apparatus > a balance > public standard balance

the King's beam1448

the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > conformity to or with a pattern, etc. > [noun] > a standard or norm

regulaOE

standardc1475

rate1509

square1549

formular1563

squarier1581

scantling1587

the King's beam1607

referencea1627

modulea1628

norme1635

the common beam1647

normaa1676

plummet line1683

norm1821

modulus1857

normative1909

the world > matter > properties of materials > lightness > be light [verb (intransitive)] > be greatly outweighed

to kick or strike the beam1712

1386 Records Grocers' Co. Lond. (facsimile 67) Item paie a Johan Reche pour defendre le pursute dell Bem.]

1448 MS. Records do. 147 Weying the same marchaundise at ther owne beeme, and not at the commorn beeme.

a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) II. f. xxviii^v Than was layde vnto theyr charge that..They hadde alteryd the Kynges Beame.

a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) II. f. lxvii^v All suche wares, as they shulde haue weyed at the kynges Bealme.

1607 S. Hieron Dignitie of Script. in Wks. (1620) I. 79 To make the written word (as it were) the standard or the kings beame, by which to try all doctrine.

1647 N. Ward Simple Cobler Aggawam 36 A sin..that seemes small in the common beam of the world, may be very great in the scales of his Sanctuary.

1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 463. ¶3 The latter, to shew its comparative Lightness, immediately flew up and kickt the Beam.

1860 G. P. Morris Poems (ed. 15) 53 Wealth!—a straw within the balance, Opposed to love will strike the beam.

†7. The pole or shaft of a chariot. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > cart, carriage, or wagon > parts of cart or carriage > [noun] > shaft(s) or pole

thillc1325

limber1480

sway1535

neap1553

draught-tree1580

wain-beam1589

beam1600

fills1609

spire1609

foreteam?1611

verge1611

shaft1613

rangy1657

pole1683

thrill1688

trill1688

rod1695

range1702

neb1710

sharp1733

tram1766

carriage pole1767

sill1787

tongue1792

nib1808

dissel-boom1822

tongue-tree1829

reach1869

wain-stang1876

1600 G. Chapman tr. Homer Iliad v. 736 The chariot's..beam that look'd before Was massy silver.

1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Æneis xii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 598 Juturna..Forc'd from the Beam her Brother's Charioteer.

8. Tanning. A block of varying shape upon which hides are fixed to be scraped or shaved.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > equipment > equipment for working with skins or leather > [noun] > for removing flesh or hair > block

summer1728

beam1875

1875 R. Hunt & F. W. Rudler Ure's Dict. Arts (ed. 7) III. 93 The furniture in this department consists of a beam on which the leather is shaved, etc.

** of other materials.

†9. A large bar of metal; a piece of metal fulfilling the functions of sense 3. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > metal > metal in specific state or form > [noun] > large bar of metal

beamc885

c885 tr. Orosius Hist. ii. viii. §5 Hiora ærenan beamas..ne mehton from Galliscum fyre forbærnede weorþan.

a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1874) V. 315 Hormisda lefte in Seynt Peter his chirche a beme [trabem] of silver.

1597 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie v. lxxix. 244 A certaine beame of Golde about seauen hundred and a halfe in waight.

1613 S. Purchas Pilgrimage i. vii. 112 A great beame of gold.

Categories »

10. The shank or main part of an anchor (Phillips 1706, Johnson, etc.); but according to Admiral Smyth, the stock.

11. In the steam-engine, etc.: A heavy iron lever, having a reciprocating 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 or wheel-shaft, to which it communicates motion; also called working-beam and walking-beam.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > engine > steam engine > [noun] > parts of > levers

working beam1744

beam1759

lever1759

side lever1804

lever-beam1824

walking beam1824

sway-beam1839

grasshopper-beam?1865

1759 K. Fitz-Gerald in Philos. Trans. 1758 (Royal Soc.) 50 727 [In] the fire-engine..it was necessary to contrive some way to make the beam, tho' moving alternately, to turn a wheel constantly round one way.

1851 T. Carlyle Life J. Sterling ii. ix. 257 I saw half the beam of a great steam-engine..cast in about five minutes.

1884 Harper's Mag. July 270/1 The walking-beam which drives the side-wheels.

12. The main trunk of a stag's horn which bears the branches or ‘antlers’.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > male > [noun] > body and parts > antler > main stem of

beam1575

royal1575

royal antler1728

hornbeam1861

royal tine1877

1575 G. Gascoigne Noble Arte Venerie xxi. 53 When the beame is great, burnished..and not made crooked by the Antlyers.

1630 J. Taylor Wks. i. 93/1 A Buckes hornes are composed of Burre, Beame, etc.

1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth III. 114 The fourth year, that part [of the horn] which bears the antlers is called the beam.

1862 C. P. Collyns Notes on Chase of Wild Red Deer ii The ‘beam,’ or main horn, increases in size..as the stag grows older.

†13. The part of a cock's leg below the thigh and above the spur. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > birds > order Galliformes (fowls) > family Phasianidae (pheasants, etc.) > hen or cock > [noun] > cock > parts of

cock stone1586

beam1614

1614 G. Markham Cheape & Good Husb. (1623) 135 His legs straight, and of a strong beame.

1727 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Oeconomique (Dublin ed.) at Cock ]

II. Nautical extensions of senses 1, 3

†14. poetic. A ship, a bark: perhaps, originally one made of a hollowed trunk. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > [noun]

shipc725

beamOE

boardOE

bargea1300

steera1300

vessela1300

treea1382

loomc1400

man1473

ark1477

bottom1490

keela1547

riverboat1565

craft1578

pine1592

class1596

flood-bickerer1599

pitchboard1599

stern-bearer1599

wooden horse1599

wooden isle1603

water treader?1615

water house1616

watercraft1618

machine1637

prore1642

lightman1666

embarkation1690

bark1756

prowa1771

Mudian1813

bastiment1823

hooker1823

nymph1876

M.F.V.1948

OE Riddle 10 7 Hæfde feorh cwico, þa ic of fæðmum cwom brimes ond beames on blacum hrægle.

1509 A. Barclay Brant's Shyp of Folys (Pynson) f. clxxxix Howe thou the auenterest in holowe beame To pas the see.

15. One of the horizontal transverse timbers, stretching from side to side of a ship, supporting the deck, and holding the vessel together. on the beams: cf. to be on the beam-ends n. at sense 18.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > body of vessel > [noun] > timbers of hull > deck or hold beams

transom1545

beam1627

wing-transom1711

stool1797

hold-beam1801

breast beam1805

skid beam1846

beak-head-beam1850

cat-beam1850

deck-beam1858

main-transom1867

spale1867

1627 J. Smith Sea Gram. ii. 5 The maine beame is euer next the maine mast, where is the ships greatest breadth.

1790 Coll. Voy. round World III. i. 809 Before we could raise the main tack, the Dolphin was laid upon her beams.

1795 Ld. Nelson in Dispatches & Lett. (1845) II. 5 The ships built at Toulon have their sides, beams, decks..from this Island.

1873 Act 36 & 37 Victoria lxxxv. §3 The number denoting her registered tonnage shall be cut in on her main beam.

16.

a. Hence, The greatest breadth of a ship.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessel with reference to qualities or attributes > [noun] > attributes of vessel > greatest width

bearinga1618

beam1627

main-breadth1850

1627 J. Smith Sea Gram. iii. 15 Suppose a Ship of 300. Tunnes be 29 foot at the Beame.

1781 Ld. Nelson in Dispatches & Lett. (1844) I. 43 The Albemarle is not so wide on the gun-deck by four inches, but the same beam.

1875 ‘Stonehenge’ Man. Brit. Rural Sports (ed. 12) ii. viii. i. §3 The shallow hull gave way..to sharp bottoms, less beam, and a great deal of lead.

b. transferred. The (width of the) hips or buttocks; esp. in colloquial phrase broad in the beam.

ΘΚΠ

the world > life > the body > external parts of body > trunk > back > buttock(s) > [noun]

flitcha700

arse-endseOE

culec1220

buttockc1300

tail1303

toutec1305

nagea1325

fundamentc1325

tail-end1377

brawna1382

buma1387

bewschers?a1400

crouponc1400

rumplec1430

lendc1440

nachec1440

luddocka1475

rearwarda1475

croupc1475

rumpc1475

dock1508

hurdies1535

bunc1538

sitting place1545

bottom?c1550

prat1567

nates1581

backside1593

crupper1594

posteriorums1596

catastrophe1600

podex1601

posterior1605

seat1607

poop1611

stern1631

cheek1639

breeka1642

doup1653

bumkin1658

bumfiddle1661

assa1672

butt1675

quarter1678

foundation1681

toby1681

bung1691

rear1716

fud1722

moon1756

derrière1774

rass1790

stern-post1810

sit-down1812

hinderland1817

hinderling1817

nancy1819

ultimatum1823

behinda1830

duff?1837

botty1842

rear end1851

latter end1852

hinder?1857

sit1862

sit-me-down1866

stern-works1879

tuchus1886

jacksy-pardy1891

sit-upon1910

can1913

truck-end1913

sitzfleisch1916

B.T.M.1919

fanny1919

bot1922

heinie1922

beam1929

yas yas1929

keister1931

batty1935

bim1935

arse-end1937

twat1937

okole1938

bahookie1939

bohunkus1941

quoit1941

patoot1942

rusty-dusty1942

dinger1943

jacksie1943

zatch1950

ding1957

booty1959

patootie1959

buns1960

wazoo1961

tush1962

1929 H. Walpole Hans Frost ii. vi. 177 He stood watching disgustedly Bigges' broad beam.

1944 S. E. H. Beach Amabel & Mary Verena xxiv. 92 A cast-off of Jim's. He's grown too broad in the beam for it.

1960 I. Cross Backward Sex i. 24 ‘I'm too broad around the beam.’ ‘What do you mean?..’ ‘My hips, silly..I've got wide hips.’

17. Hence designating the side of a vessel or sideward direction, esp. in technical phrases. lee or weather beam: the side away from or towards the wind. on or upon the (starboard or larboard) beam: at some distance on the (right or left) side of a ship, at right angles to the keel. abaft or before the beam: behind or before an imaginary line drawn right across the centre of the ship. beam sea: one rolling against the ship's side.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > body of vessel > side(s) of vessel > [noun]

boardOE

sideOE

shipboardc1200

broadside1591

beama1665

society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > body of vessel > fore part of vessel > in front part of vessel [phrase]

abaft or before the beam1791

society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > body of vessel > side(s) of vessel > [noun] > away from wind

lee-board?a1400

lee or weather beam1834

the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > state of sea > direction of sea > [noun] > against ship's side

beam sea1883

a1665 K. Digby Jrnl. Voy. to Mediterranean (1868) 83 You gett your chace vpon your beame.

1791 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse §159 The wind..was but one point before our beam.

1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple I. xv. 231 Land on the lee beam.

1836 F. Marryat Mr. Midshipman Easy III. iv. 66 The other frigate had passed half her length clear of the beam of the Aurora.

1883 J. A. Froude Sketches 67 The wind rose..bringing..a heavy beam sea.

18. beam-ends n. the ends of a ship's beams. to be, or be laid, on the beam-ends: to have them touching the water, so that the vessel lies on its side in imminent danger of capsizing; figurative to be quite laid aside, utterly at a loss, hard up.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > present difficulties [verb (intransitive)] > be in difficulties or straits > be in desperate difficulty

one's (or the) last (or utter) shift1733

beam-ends1773

hang1874

society > travel > travel by water > shipwreck > suffer shipwreck [verb (intransitive)] > capsize

overset1641

beam-ends1773

upset1799

capsize1805

1773 Gentleman's Mag. 43 321 The gust laid her upon her beam-ends.

1796 J. Morse Amer. Universal Geogr. (new ed.) I. 517 A number of large river craft..on their beam-ends for want of water.

1830 F. Marryat King's Own II. vi. 94 Our first-lieutenant was..on his beam-ends, with the rheumatiz.

1844 C. Dickens Martin Chuzzlewit xl. 463 Tom..was thrown upon his beam-ends again for some other solution.

III. An immaterial beam, of light, colour, etc.

19.

a. A ray, or ‘bundle’ of parallel rays, of light emitted from the sun or other luminous body; out-streaming radiance. [Apparently this sense arose in Old English through literal translation from the Latin; not, however, as often thought, of radius solis ‘a spoke’ of the sun, but of columna lucis a ‘pillar’ or ‘column’ of light; an expression used more than once by Bæda (e.g. H.E. III. xi) to denote a column or stream of light rising from a saint's dead body, which Ælfred renders by swylce sunne-béam. Also, in the poetical version of Exodus, the pillars or columns of fire and cloud, are béamas twégen; the fiery pillar is wuldres béam, column or beam of glory, byrnende béam, and in the metrical Psalms, fýren béam a fire beam. We may compare the beam- or balk-like appearance of the illuminated dusty atmosphere of a room, and the representations of light from heaven in paintings.]

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > light > [noun] > ray or beam

beamc885

rowc1225

stringc1275

steamc1300

light beama1398

shafta1400

rayc1400

strakec1400

rade?a1563

gleed1566

radiation1570

shine1581

rayon1591

stralla1618

radius1620

rule1637

irradiation1643

track1693

emanation1700

spoke1849

spearc1850

slant1856

sword1866

secondary1921

the world > matter > light > naturally occurring light > [noun] > sunlight or sunshine > ray of

beamc885

sunbeamOE

sunray1596

fire-glance1662

streamer1697

sunglade1832

sun-darta1835

sun shaft1837

the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > light > [noun] > rays or waves

rayc1400

tress1423

radiation1570

hair1594

hair1606

irradiation1643

beam1664

light wave1871

c885 in Anglo-Saxon Chron. ann. 678 Her ateowede cometa..and scan iii monðas ælce morgen swilce sunne beam [ Bæda, excelsam radiantis flammæ quasi columnam.]

c1000 Ags. Ps. cv. 34 Het him neode, nihta gehwylce, fyrenne beam beforan wisian.

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 8925 Þe leome þa strehte west-riht a seouen bæmen [c1300 Otho bemes] wes idiht.

c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness (1920) l. 603 Bryȝt blykked þe bem of þe brode heuen.

c1430 Hymns Virg. 208 Þe briȝt beemys blent my siȝt.

1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xi. 190 Armys..blenknyt [1489 Adv. blomyt] with the sonnys beyme.

1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice v. i. 90 How farre that little candell throwes his beames .

1664 H. Power Exper. Philos. i. 77 So were the Luminous Beams variously transmitted, refracted, or reflected.

1869 Tyndall in Fortn. Rev. 228 But what, in the first instance, is a beam of light? It is a train of innumerable waves, excited in, and propagated through, an almost infinitely attenuated and elastic medium, which fills all space, and which we name the æther.

b. The appearance of rays produced by the sun's shining upon mist through gaps in the clouds.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > light > naturally occurring light > [noun] > sunlight or sunshine > ray of > produced by sunlight shining on mist or rain

rainbowOE

limb1801

beam1843

1843 J. Ruskin Mod. Painters I. 191 The appearance of beams can only take place in a part of the sky which has clouds between it and the sun.

c. A radiating line of colour.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > colour > variegation > stripiness > [noun] > radiating stripe

beam1705

1705 J. Petiver in Philos. Trans. 1704–05 (Royal Soc.) 24 1953 The other [shells] have red beams, which shoot from the hinge, and are broader at the edges.

d. A directed flow of radiation or particles; frequently attributive.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > physics > atomic nucleus > radioactivity > [noun] > radiation emitted > directed flow of

beam1906

1906 Rutherford in London, Edinb. & Dublin Philos. Mag. 6th Ser. 11 168 Radium served as a source of α rays. A narrow beam of rays, after passing through a parallel slit, fell on a photographic plate.

1908 H. Geiger in Proc. Royal Soc. A. 81 174 Scattering is well known in the case of β-particles. A narrow pencil of β-rays emerges after passing through a metal plate as an ill-defined beam.

1933 Discovery Aug. 236/2 The new research will be termed ‘beam’ therapy and will be carried on at the London Radium Institute in Portland Place.

1937 Discovery Nov. 329/2 The mechanical difficulties are obviated by using a beam of electrons for scanning.

1938 R. W. Lawson tr. G. von Hevesy & F. A. Paneth Man. Radioactivity (ed. 2) xxvi. 288 Cockcroft and Walton succeeded in 1932 in the transmutation of light elements, by bombarding them with a beam of fast protons.

1938 R. W. Lawson tr. G. von Hevesy & F. A. Paneth Man. Radioactivity (ed. 2) xxvi. 291 The focusing action results in the generation of beams of ions.

1959 Times 19 Jan. 8/2 A brain operation in which for the first time a beam of protons was used instead of surgical instruments has been performed at the Werner Institute for Nuclear Chemistry at Uppsala.

20. transferred. A similar ray of heat.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > [noun] > radiation of heat > ray of heat

hot gleam1601

beam1860

the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > heat > [noun] > emission or diffusion > energy produced by > directed flow

ray1813

beam1860

1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps ii. §3. 244 Two beams of heat, from two distinct sources.

1882 Longman's Mag. 38 In passing through the liquid layer, a beam of heat encounters the same number of molecules as in passing through the vapour layer.

21. figurative. Ray, gleam, emanation: beam of sight, a glance (also eye-beam n.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > a look or glance > [noun]

eie wurpc950

laitc1175

looka1200

lecha1250

sightc1275

insighta1375

blushc1390

castc1400

glentc1400

blenkc1440

regardc1450

ray1531

beam of sight1579

eye-beam1583

eyewink1591

blink1594

aspecta1616

benda1616

eyeshot1615

eye-casta1669

twire1676

ken1736

Magdalene-look1752

glimmering1759

deek1833

wink1847

deck1853

vision1855

pipe1865

skeg1876

dekko1894

screw1904

slant1911

gander1914

squiz1916

butcher's hook1934

butcher's1936

gawk1940

bo-peep1941

nose1976

1579 S. Gosson Schoole of Abuse f. 16 Basiliskes..poyson, as wel with the beame of their sight, as with the breath of their mouth.

1594 C. Marlowe & T. Nashe Dido iii. sig. C3 Lest their grosse eye-beames taint my louers cheekes.

1674 J. Owen Disc. Holy Spirit (1693) 235 A Beam of Truth from the Light of Nature.

1743 W. Collins Verses to T. Hanmer 8 Bring No Beam of Comfort to the guilty King?

1819 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto I lxi. 33 Her cheek all purple with the beam of youth.

†22. Mathematics. The radius of a circle, an axial line. (Translating Latin radius, apparently from the association of beam and ray of light.) Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > number > geometry > line > [noun] > over circle or sphere

diameter1387

dimetient?a1560

beam1570

dimetient line1601

radiusa1657

diametral1658

ray1690

geodetic1850

geodesic1856

1570 J. Dee in H. Billingsley tr. Euclid Elements Geom. Math. Præf. sig. bj Beames, or naturall lines.

1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie ii. xi. 81 The beame is a line stretching directly from the circle to the center.

1624 H. Wotton Elements Archit. in Reliquiæ Wottonianæ (1672) 52 The Axel-tree, or middle Beam of the Eye.

†23. Architecture. (See quot. 1664) Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > architecture > column > [noun] > shaft of column > fluting > beam

beam1664

jesting-beam1900

1664 J. Evelyn Acct. Archit. in tr. R. Fréart Parallel Antient Archit. 130 Raies or Beames; which..are those plain spaces between the Flutings.

24.

a. Radio Communication. In full radio beam, wireless beam: radio waves transmitted as a beam, i.e. undispersed, from a special aerial system, part of which acts as a reflector; usually attributive.

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > [noun] > radio wave > types of

space wave1899

surface wave1913

CW1920

beam1924

sky wave1924

ground wave1927

tweek1933

1899 G. Marconi in Jrnl. Inst. Electr. Engineers 28 274 Should it be necessary to direct a beam of rays in one given direction I prefer to use an arrangement similar to a Righi oscillator placed in the focal line of a suitable cylindrical parabolic reflector.]

1924 Marconi 2 July in Jrnl. Royal Soc. Arts 25 July 607/2 The transmission and reception of intelligible signals over a distance of 1¾ miles of a beam system employing short waves and reflectors.

1924 Westm. Gaz. 24 July Arrangements had been made for the erection of a beam station in Canada.

1924 Daily News 14 Nov. 7/4 Beam wireless.

1925 Telegr. & Teleph. Jrnl. Mar. 107/1 Australian papers give the following..information regarding the ‘Beam’ Radio Stations.

1927 Daily Mail 2 Dec. 11/1 Cable Companies and The Beam.

1928 Morning Post 23 Mar. 14 Beam-cable fusion [of the Eastern Exchange Cable Company and Marconi Company]... The beam system of telegraphy.

1934 Nature 24 Feb. 297/2 One advantage of short-wave transmission in radio communication is that it is possible to concentrate the radiation..in one direction, thus forming a beam of waves... A series of vertical aerials..(called a beam array) will act like Hertz's reflector.

1946 Proc. IRE 34 335 (title) A Current Distribution for Broadside Arrays which Optimizes the Relationship between Beam Width and Side-Lobe Level.

1958 Engineering 31 Jan. 157/3 The aerial has been designed to give a sharp beamwidth at high signal strength. At 20 db the horizontal beamwidth extends about 0·65 deg.

b. Aeronautics. A directional radio transmission used to guide aircraft or missiles; frequently attributive, as beam approach.

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > [adjective] > type of wave > used to guide aircraft or missiles

beam1927

society > travel > air or space travel > action of flying (in) aircraft > navigation of course of aircraft > [noun] > radio beam or beacon

beacon1919

localizer1922

beam1927

landing beam1929

marker beacon1929

fan marker1948

society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > [noun] > radio wave > types of > used to guide aircraft or missiles

beam1927

1927 Sci. Amer. Jan. 32 Radio along the Airways. Invisible beams guide birdmen in flights between European cities.

1929 Aviation 28 Dec. 1277/1 A landing beam transmitter buried flush with the ground in the center of the field.

1929 Aviation 28 Dec. 1277/1 After finding the beam the pilot glides down it toward the field.

1933 K. Henney Radio Engin. Handbk. 537 The diminution of intensity as the airplane drops below the inclined axis is compensated by the increase of intensity due to approaching the beam transmitter.

1941 Tee Emm Oct. 8/1 The policy is that Beam Approach training shall be introduced..as equipment becomes available.

1949 A. R. Weyl Guided Missiles i. 26 The ‘beam-rider’ system in which the missile flies along a radar beam.

1958 Times 9 Oct. 10/2 It carries a warhead with proximity fuse and a beam guidance system.

1963 Oxf. Mag. 9 May 280/2 The Germans with their beam flying provided us with targets that would have been peculiarly favourable to aerial mine defence.

c. to be on the beam, to be on the course indicated by a radio beam; hence figurative (colloquial) to be on the right track, right, sane. So to be off the beam.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > truthfulness, veracity > speak truly [verb (intransitive)] > be right

to have reasonc1475

to get (also have) the right end of the stick1817

to be on the beam1941

the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > lack of truth, falsity > mistake [phrase]

to miss the cushiona1529

to get, have, or take the (or a) wrong (or right) sow by the ear1546

to pray without one's beads1641

to have the wrong end of the stick?1793

to bark up the wrong tree1832

the boot (is) on the wrong leg or foot1834

to have another think coming1896

you have another guess coming1935

to be off the beam1941

blow1943

1941 Amer. Speech 16 238/2 Expressions disparaging a person's mental state..off his beam (airplane).

1941 Daring Detective Nov. 7/2 ‘Now we know we're on the beam,’ said Brubach. ‘Sex maniacs and drinking companions are definitely eliminated.’

1943 J. L. Hunt & A. G. Pringle Service Slang 49 On the beam, I follow what you are saying. (R.A.F.).

1948 Observer 18 Jan. 2/3 Hugh Burden, as Barnaby, was right on the beam from the start.

1949 Jrnl. Brit. Interplanet. Soc. 8 143 Thus rocket aeroplanes might seem ‘off the beam’ of true astronautics.

1951 ‘J. Tey’ Daughter of Time ix. 121 ‘He's away off the beam. Away off.’ ‘I suspected as much. Let us have the facts.’

1954 ‘N. Blake’ Whisper in Gloom i. iv. 58 Never heard of him. You're off the beam.

Compounds

C1. General attributive.

a. (In sense 3.)

beam-pin n.

ΚΠ

?1614 G. Chapman tr. Homer Odysses i. 675 And hung them on a beam-pin near the bed.

b. (In sense 8.)

beam-house n.

ΚΠ

1885 Harper's Mag. Jan. 274/2 The..tip-cart..makes its appearance..ready to take a load to the beam-house.

beam-knife n.

beam-man n.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > manual or industrial worker > workers with specific materials > worker with skins or hides > [noun] > worker with leather > who unhairs hides

beam-man1884

beamster1885

1884 Western Morning News 3 Sept. 2/1 To Tanners.—Wanted, young man as Beamman.

c. (In sense 11.)

beam-gudgeon n.

d. (In sense 12.)

beam-antler n.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > male > [noun] > body and parts > antler > branch > second

rialc1425

royal1575

surantler1575

bez-antler1598

beam-antler1623

bay1862

bisantler1863

1623 H. Cockeram Eng. Dict. at Pollard Beame antler is the next start growing above the Brow antler.

e. (In sense 15.)

beam-knee n.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > body of vessel > [noun] > timbers of hull > angular supporting timber

knee1337

hook1611

standardc1620

carling-knee1626

standing knee1726

dagger-knee1850

hanging knee1850

beam-knee1869

1869 E. J. Reed Shipbuilding viii. 145 And the Beam-knee ends are welded on to the central piece.

beam-plate n.

f. (In sense 19.)

beam-star n.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the universe > constellation > zodiacal constellation > [noun] > Libra > part of

beam-star1658

1658 tr. J. Ussher Ann. World 360 The planet of Mercurie..was seen, near to the beam star in the signe of Libre.

C2.

beam-action n. the action of a beam-engine.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > engine > steam engine > [noun] > types of > action of

beam-action1896

1896 Daily News 7 Jan. 6/5 The..beam-action locomotives of that extremely primitive line.

beam aerial n. a directional aerial for transmitting a radio beam.

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > radio equipment > [noun] > aerial

radiator1897

aerial wire1899

aerial1902

antenna1902

loop antenna1906

loop aerial1913

twin aerial1913

frame aerial1916

loop1922

beam aerial1926

cage aerial1926

Adcock1928

dipole1929

V antenna1932

beam antenna1935

rig1935

horn1936

whip1940

whip aerial1941

whip antenna1943

polyrod1945

unipole1945

slot aerial1946

slot antenna1946

dish1948

quad1951

V aerial1961

dish aerial1962

rectenna1964

omni-antenna1966

monopole1974

1926 Gloss. Terms Electr. Engin. (B.S.I.) Beam Aerial System, a combination of aerials with their earthing, tuning and reflecting arrangements so disposed as to concentrate the available radiated energy into a beam.

1945 Electronic Engin. 17 719 Indicating the target by means of a rotating beam aerial.

beam antenna n.

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > radio equipment > [noun] > aerial

radiator1897

aerial wire1899

aerial1902

antenna1902

loop antenna1906

loop aerial1913

twin aerial1913

frame aerial1916

loop1922

beam aerial1926

cage aerial1926

Adcock1928

dipole1929

V antenna1932

beam antenna1935

rig1935

horn1936

whip1940

whip aerial1941

whip antenna1943

polyrod1945

unipole1945

slot aerial1946

slot antenna1946

dish1948

quad1951

V aerial1961

dish aerial1962

rectenna1964

omni-antenna1966

monopole1974

1935 K. Henney Radio Engin. Handbk. (ed. 2) 774 The elements of the Walmsley beam antenna.

beam-arm n. a crooked timber extending from the side of a beam to the ship's side, in the wake of the hatchway (Adm. Smyth).

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > body of vessel > [noun] > timbers of hull > other timbers supporting beams

pointer1750

shelf-piece1830

shelf1845

beam-arm1850

fork-beam1850

hold-stanchion1867

1850 J. Greenwood Sailor's Sea-bk. Explan. Terms 95 Beam-Arm, or Fork-Beam, a forked piece of timber, nearly of the depth of the beam, scarphed, tabled, and bolted, for additional security to the sides of beams athwart large openings in the decks, as the main hatchway and the mast-rooms.

beam-bird n. dialect name of the Spotted Flycatcher.

ΚΠ

1766 T. Pennant Brit. Zool. ii. 263 Known in that county [i.e. York] by the name of the beam-bird, because it nestles under the ends of beams in outbuildings, &c.

beam-blind adj. uncritical of oneself (cf. sense 3c); so beam-blindness.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > misjudgement > indiscriminateness > [adjective] > uncritical of oneself

beamed1628

beam-blind1879

the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > misjudgement > indiscriminateness > [noun] > state of being uncritical oneself

beam-blindness1932

1879 G. M. Hopkins Poems (1967) 81 What hinders? Are you beam-blind, yet to a fault In a neighbour deft-handed?

1932 S. C. Carpenter Supernat. Relig. iv. 94 The difference between his [sc. our Lord's] moteless eye and the beam-blindness of the Pharisees.

beam-board n. the platform of a steelyard or balance.

Categories »

beam-centre n. the central pin on which the beam of a steam-engine works.

beam-compass n. an instrument consisting of a wooden or brass beam with sliding sockets, for drawing larger circles than an ordinary pair of compasses can describe.

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > representation > a plastic or graphic representation > graphic representation > drawing plans or diagrams > [noun] > drawing instruments > for circles

compassa1387

shank1587

beam-compass1785

bow-compass1796

bow-pen1869

pencil arm1884

spring bow1998

1785 W. Roy in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 75 402 A beam-compass, sufficient to take in twenty feet.

beam-ends n. (see 18).

beam-engine n. a steam engine having a vibrating beam through which the piston effort is transmitted to the crank.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > engine > steam engine > [noun] > types of

fire waterwork1663

steam-wheel1797

Cornish engine1840

beam-engine1844

machine-whim1848

screw engine1852

donkey-engine1858

quadruple expansion1861

tandem engine1878

uniflow1971

1844 H. Stephens Bk. of Farm II. 312 The beam-engine of 6-horse power.

a1877 E. H. Knight Pract. Dict. Mech. I. 257/1 Beam-engine.., an engine with an oscillating beam, to whose respective ends the connecting-rod from the piston and the pitman from the crank are attached.

1896 Daily News 7 Jan. 6/5 A slow moving and dignified beam-engine.

beam-feather n. (see quot.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > birds > order Falconiformes (falcons, etc.) > family Accipitridae (hawks, etc.) > [noun] > hawk > parts of > feathers > of wing

beam-feather1486

sarcel1486

the world > animals > birds > order Falconiformes (falcons, etc.) > family Accipitridae (hawks, etc.) > [noun] > hawk > parts of > feathers > of tail

beam-feather1486

stern1575

1486 Bk. St. Albans A. viij b And oon principall feder of thes same is in the myddis..that is called the Beme feder of the tayle.

1721 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. Beam-feathers [among falconers], the long feathers of a Hawk's Wing [in mod. dicts.].

beam-fish n. ? a shark (see quot.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > fish > subclass Elasmobranchii > order Pleurotremata > [noun] > member of (shark)

shark1569

hay-fish1613

sea-shark1655

sea-panther1668

beam-fish1742

squalus1753

water-lawyer1794

squaloid1836

Noah's Ark1945

Noah1965

1742 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. Beam-fish, a sea monster like a pike, a dreadful enemy to mankind, seizing like a blood-hound, and never letting go, if he gets fast hold.

beam-like adj. like a beam, of timber or of light.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > framework of building > [adjective] > beam

beam-like1620

beameda1711

trabeated1843

trabeal1862

trabeate1890

the world > matter > light > [adjective] > emitting rays > of the nature of or resembling rays

radiant1509

radial1570

radious1692

streamy1718

beam-like1820

actinomorphous1879

1620 F. Quarles Jonah (1638) 27 The great Leviathan set ope His beame-like Jawes.

1820 P. B. Shelley Sensitive Plant in Prometheus Unbound 165 The bee and the beamlike ephemeris.

beam-line n. the line which shows the junction of the upper sides of the successive beams with the ship's sides.

ΚΠ

1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. 89 Beam-line, a line raised along the inside of the ship fore and aft, showing the upper sides of the beams at her side.

beam-splitter n. Photography a device consisting of a prismatic arrangement of mirrors (see quots.); so beam-splitting adj.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > photography > camera > [adjective] > types of camera

pinhole1861

twin-lens1894

reflex1907

autofocus1917

miniature1921

autofocusing1922

wide-field1925

beam-splitting1935

point-and-shoot1964

subminiature1968

multi-mode1980

multiprogramme1990

society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > photography > camera > parts and accessories of camera > [noun] > lens > other lens attachments

focuser1861

rangefinder1930

beam-splitter1935

starburst1967

1935 Discovery July 189/1 Iceland spar..beam splitter..entirely free from parallax. This system may be employed..to obtain three-colour negatives.

1940 Chambers's Techn. Dict. 83/1 Beam-splitter or beam-splitting camera, a camera for colour photography, in which the beam of light from the object is separated into three components by means of a complicated prism.

1956 A. L. M. Sowerby Dict. Photogr. (ed. 18) 52 Beamsplitter, a combination of four mirrors..used either for taking a stereoscopic pair of pictures with an ordinary single-lens camera, or for projecting or viewing a stereo pair so made.

1958 Newnes Compl. Amateur Photogr. xxvi. 235 Stereos taken on the same frame by a beam-splitting device.

beam-trawl v. to fish with a trawl-net of which the mouth is kept open by a beam.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > type or method of fishing > [verb (intransitive)] > fish with net > with trawl-nets

trawl1561

saw1630

beam-trawl1883

tow-net1891

pair trawl1977

1883 Great Internat. Fisheries Exhib. Catal. 3 The rapid growth of beam-trawling.

Draft additions September 2013

Gymnastics. Now also as balance beam. A narrow, raised horizontal piece of squared timber on which a gymnast performs balancing exercises. Also: a competitive event for women using this apparatus.

ΚΠ

1823 P. H. Clias Elem. Course Gymnastic Exercises i. 19 As soon as he can..go forwards on the beam, without the assistance of the master, the scholar should try to go backward, keeping the same balance as in the preceding exercise.

1894 A. Alexander Physical Drill of All Nations x. 128 Place both hands upon the beam, and..lean the weight of the body upon the arms.

1919 Amer. Jrnl. Nursing 20 197 Equipment for Training School Gymnasium: Bar stalls, benches..adjustable flying rings, balance beam, jump stands.

1956 Life 17 Dec. 95 (caption) On the balance beam, Larisa Latynina of Russia..assumes the v-hold.

1961 V. Belyakov Soviet Gymnastics 268 The winners of the silver medals were: Muratova for the vault, Latynina for the parallel bars and beam.

2006 Times 26 Oct. (Sport section) 89/4 She finished thirteenth on the asymmetric bars and fell off the beam.

Draft additions September 2013

A bright facial expression; a wide, radiant smile (of approval, joy, relief, etc.). Cf. beam v. 3b.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > pleasure > smiling > [noun] > a smile > other types of smile

smilet1591

beam1773

sun-smile1808

a wan smile1877

shit-eating grin1956

shit-eating grin1990

the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > thing seen > appearance or aspect > [noun] > facial appearance or expression > specific

light1535

mask1605

severity1711

beam1773

study1886

1773 Gentleman's & London Mag. Nov. 696/1 A beam of joy flashing in his countenance.

1818 M. W. Shelley Frankenstein I. 27 There are moments when..his whole countenance is lighted up..with a beam of benevolence and sweetness.

1871 London Society May 478/1 A beam of gladness had replaced the timid expression it [sc. her face] had worn.

1920 E. Wharton Age of Innocence xxviii. 285 May..turned to shed on him a beam of approval.

2010 F. Phillips Before I Forget xix. 209 Mum would be in the front row, big beam on her face, camera at the ready.

Draft additions September 2013

beam reach n. Nautical a reach (reach n.¹ 14b) made with the wind at right angles to the vessel's keel (cf. beam wind n. at Additions).

ΚΠ

1893 Boston Daily Advertiser 3 June 2/2 One of the ideal courses for a yacht race, giving..10 miles dead to windward, 10 miles to leeward and 10 miles of beam reach.

1965 E. A. Pearson Lure of Sailing ii. 48 When on a beam reach, the driving force is at its greatest and sailboats attain their best speeds.

2010 Yachting Monthly Apr. 81/1 On a beam reach we made 4.1 knots.

Draft additions September 2013

beam wind n. Nautical a wind blowing at right angles to the keel, so as to hit the side of a vessel.

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1840 Times 18 Aug. 4/3 The Archimedes is known to be a superior vessel, and more particularly so with a fair or beam wind.

1911 Daily Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 15 Apr. 5/5 This..would be a lamentable disregard of the essentials of safety, where a beam wind might be encountered at any time.

1992 P. Theroux Happy Isles Oceania v. 95 It was clumsy paddling in a beam wind, the waves breaking against the side and twisting the boat.

2003 C. A. Thoresen Port Designer's Handbk. (2006) iv. 118 The wind force on a ship will vary with the exposed area of the ship. A beam wind will strike the entire exposed side area of the ship, compared with the relatively small exposed area for the head wind.

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

单词	beam
释义	beamn.¹ Brit. /biːm/, U.S. /bim/ Forms: Old English béam, Middle English bæm, beam, Middle English bem, Middle English beem, Middle English–1500s beme, (Middle English–1500s Scottish beym(e, beim, Middle English–1500s bealme), 1500s–1600s beame, 1500s– beam. Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Common Germanic: Old English béam ‘tree,’ ‘plank,’ = Old Frisian bâm , Old Saxon bâm , bôm , Middle Dutch, Dutch boom , Old High German, Middle High German boum , German baum ‘tree’ < West German baumo-z . The East German words, Gothic bagm-s* , Old Norse baðm-r ‘tree,’ though supposed to be identical, present phonetic differences of which no explanation has been found, and render somewhat doubtful the original Germanic form of the word, as also a suggested derivation (which would suit the West Germanic) from the verb root bû- , beu- , = Greek ϕυ- (compare ϕῦμα a growth), Sanskrit bhu- , bhaw- to grow (compare be v.). It remains uncertain whether the original sense was ‘tree’ as a kind of plant, or ‘tree’ as a wooden stem, stock, or post: Old English had both meanings, but that of (growing) ‘tree,’ the regular sense in the continental languages, is (except in a few compound names) lost in modern English, where the word has received many transferred applications, among which that of beam of light, sun-beam, is remarkable. I. A material beam. * of wood (actually or originally). †1. A tree; only in Old English, except in the now unanalysed compounds, hornbeam n., quickbeam n., whitebeam n. or beam-tree, names of trees. ΚΠ 826 Chart. Ecgberht in Cod. Dipl. V. 84 Súðæweardæ oð ðet scírhiltæ on ðonæ gréatan béam. OE Riddle 55 7 Ic þæs beames mæg eaþe for eorlum æþelu secgan. †2. The rood-tree or cross. (Cf. ‘hanged on a tree,’ Acts v. 30). beam-light: lighted candles placed before the rood. fees of the beam: perquisites of the unconsumed remnants of such candles. ΘΚΠ society > faith > aspects of faith > Bible, Scripture > biblical events > [noun] > crucifixion > instruments of crucifixion > the cross roodOE beamOE rood-treeOE treeOE crouchc1000 holy roodOE crossc1275 Holy crossc1290 gibbetc1450 cross patif1543 society > faith > artefacts > consumables > candle or light > [noun] > placed before or beside the rood > perquisites of unconsumed remains of fees of the beam1461–83 society > trade and finance > management of money > income, revenue, or profit > [noun] > personal income or acquired wealth > casually or incidentally acquired > as thing left to servant or subordinate as right > specific medkniche1235 fees of the beam1461–83 society > faith > artefacts > consumables > candle or light > [noun] > placed before or beside the rood rood light1434 beam-light1529 society > faith > artefacts > symbol (general) > Christian symbols or images > [noun] > cross > model or figure of crouchc1000 crossc1275 beam1720 OE Crist III 1093 He on þone halgan beam ahongen wæs fore moncynnes manforwyrhtu. c1305 in Leg. Rood (1871) 146 Cristened we weore in Red rem, Whon his bodi bledde on þe Beem. 1461–83 in Coll. Ordinances Royal Househ. (1790) 49 The Deane of the Chapell hathe all the offerings of wax..with the moderate fees of the beame..wher the tapers be consumed into a shaftmennt. 1529 Bk. Founders' Comp. in Notes & Queries 3rd Ser. IX. 62 Payd for makyng of viij square tap^rs for the beme lyght of S^t. Marg^t..vs. iiijd. 1720 J. Strype Stow's Surv. of London (rev. ed.) I. i. xv. 69/2 The Cross and the Beam [i.e. the Rood] beyond the Altar. 3. a. A large piece of squared timber, long in proportion to its breadth and thickness, such as is used in house- or ship-building, where beams form important parts of the structure: originally, the squared timber of a whole tree, but now used without any such restriction. The ordinary current sense: for naval use, see II. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > materials > raw material > wood > wood in specific form > [noun] > roughly squared beam beam978 balka1400 needle1428 joist1487 sill1488 rafter1553 timbera1575 bat1577 978 Anglo-Saxon Chron. At Calne..se halga Dunstan ana ætstod uppon anum beame. 1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. 288 Þe flor to brac vnder hem..Seyn Dunston by cas..hente hym by a bem, and ysaued was. a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 1606 Iacob..slep an sag and soðe drem Fro ðe erðe up til heuene bem A leddre stonden. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) l. 8783 Þe beem [Vesp. balk] þat moost þe werk shulde bynde. 1413 J. Lydgate Pilgr. of Sowle (1483) iv. iii. 59 A grete tre was hewen doune for to be made a beme. 1611 Bible (King James) 2 Kings vi. 2 Let vs..take thence euery man a beame, and let vs make vs a place there where we may dwell. View more context for this quotation a1616 W. Shakespeare King John (1623) iv. iii. 130 A rush will be a beame To hang thee on. View more context for this quotation 1783 G. Crabbe Village i. 18 Such is that room which one rude beam divides. b. with special shape or purpose indicated: camber-beam: one with its upper surface curving downward on both sides from the middle. collar-beam: a beam used to join together roof-rafters above the base of the roof, acting either as a tie or a strut. dragon-beam: a short piece of timber lying diagonally with the wall plates at the angles of the roof, for receiving the heel of the hip rafter. hammer-beam: a beam acting as a tie, but not extending across the whole span of the roof. tie-beam: the beam which connects the bottom of a pair of principal rafters, and prevents them from thrusting out the walls. ΚΠ 1734 Builder's Dict. Dragon Beams are two strong Braces or Struts..meeting in an Angle upon the Shoulder of the Kingpiece. 1823 P. Nicholson New Pract. Builder 221 Camber-Beams, those beams used in the flats of truncated roofs, and raised in the middle with an obtuse angle, for discharging the rain water towards both sides of the roof. 1823 P. Nicholson New Pract. Builder 222 Dragon-beam, the piece of timber which supports the hip-rafter, and bisects the angle formed by the wall plates. 1845 J. H. Parker Gloss. Terms Archit. (ed. 4) I. 317 In the Perpendicular style hammer-beam roofs were introduced. 1845 J. H. Parker Gloss. Terms Archit. (ed. 4) I. 317 The [roof]..of Malvern priory had a variety of cross-braces above the tie-beams cut into ornamental featherings. c. figurative, esp. with allusion to the figure of the mote and the beam (Matthew vii. 3). ΚΠ c1000 West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) vii. 3 Þú ne gesyhst þone beam on þinum agenum eagan. OE Ælfric Homily (Trin. Cambr. B.15.34) in J. C. Pope Homilies of Ælfric (1968) II. No. ÆHom 14 153 (pp. 497-507) Ne mæg se langa beam licgan on þinum eagan, ac se beam getacnað þa teonfullan hatunge. a1225 ( Rule St. Benet (Winteney) (1888) No. 2.17.3 Ðu gesawe þat streow on þinre swuster eage & ne geseage þone beam on þine agene eage. 1377 W. Langland Piers Plowman B. x. 264 Sithen a beem in þine owne ablyndeth þi-selue. c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Luke vi. 42 Thou biholdist not a beem in thin owne yȝe? 1570 G. Harvey Let.-bk. 5 To pluck out the beame out of his own i. 1598 W. Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost iv. iii. 160 You found his Moth, the King your Moth did see: But I a Beame do finde in each of three. a1649 W. Drummond Hist. James IV in Wks. (1711) 74 Her Tears and Prayers shook the strongest Beams of his Resolutions. 1845 tr. H. Latimer Let. in Serm. & Remains (modernized text) II. 314 Learn from your own beams to make allowance for your neighbour's motes. 4. The wooden roller or cylinder in a loom, on which the warp is wound before weaving; also called fore-beam, yarn-beam, yarn-roll beam. The similar roller on which the cloth is wound as it is woven; also called back-beam, breast-beam, cloth-beam. ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile manufacture > manufacture textile fabric or that which consists of > manufacture of textile fabric > [noun] > weaving > loom > beam beam1382 axlea1634 c1000 Supp. Ælfric's Gloss. in Wülcker Voc. /187 Liciatorium, webbeam. 1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) 1 Sam. xvii. 7 The shaft of his speer was as the beem [ Coverdale, lome] of websters. c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 30/2 Beeme of webstarrys lome, liciatorium. 1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Beame of timber wherupon embroderers..do rolle their worke, iugum. a1616 W. Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor (1623) v. i. 22 I feare not Goliah with a Weauers beame . View more context for this quotation 1675 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Odysses xix. 230 So I A Beam set up, and then began to weave. 1831 G. R. Porter Treat. Silk Manuf. 215 The beam, or yarn-roll, on which the threads are wound. 5. The great timber of the plough, to which all the other parts of the plough-tail are fixed. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > farming > tools and implements > ploughing equipment > [noun] > plough > plough-beam beamc1000 ploughbeama1325 plough stock1587 c1000 Ælfric Gloss. in Wülcker Voc. /104 Buris, sulh-beam. c1450 in Wülcker Voc. /569 Burris, the plowebeme. 1483 Cath. Angl. 27/1 A beym of ye plwgh, buris. 1592 W. Warner Albions Eng. (rev. ed.) viii. xlii. 158 But to the Head-land shall our Plough, vnles we breake our Beame. 1787 T. Jefferson Corr. (1830) 135 The plough here is made with..a beam twelve feet long. 1832 C. Howard Sel. Farms (Libr. Useful Knowl.) 3 The plough is of a light construction..the length of the beam is six feet six inches. 6. a. The transverse bar from the ends of which the scales of a balance are suspended; the balance itself. Often figurative with reference to the scales held by the allegorical figure of justice. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement by weighing > equipment for weighing > [noun] > a weighing apparatus > a balance > beam of a balance balk1399 beam1420 weigh-balkc1485 scale-beam1723 balance-yard1810 balance-beam1813 1420 in F. J. Furnivall Fifty Earliest Eng. Wills (1882) 46 A beme þat y weye þer-with. 1503 Act 19 Hen. VII vi Deceivable and untrue Beams and Scales. 1581 W. Lambarde Eirenarcha (1588) iv. xix. 605 Let us holde the beame, and put in balaunce their reasons on either side. 1712 A. Pope Rape of Locke ii, in Misc. Poems 372 The doubtful Beam long nods from side to side. 1802 A. Rees Cycl. at Balance The beam, the principal part of the balance, is a lever of the first kind. 1875 Encycl. Brit. at Balance The beam..is supported on a polished horizontal frame of agate or hard steel. b. Phrases, the common beam, the King's beam (Historical); the public standard balance formerly in the custody of the Grocers' Company of London; figurative an authorized standard. to kick or strike the beam: (of one scale of a balance) to be so lightly loaded that it flies up and strikes the beam; to be greatly outweighed; often figurative. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement by weighing > equipment for weighing > [noun] > a weighing apparatus > a balance > public standard balance the King's beam1448 the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > conformity to or with a pattern, etc. > [noun] > a standard or norm regulaOE standardc1475 rate1509 square1549 formular1563 squarier1581 scantling1587 the King's beam1607 referencea1627 modulea1628 norme1635 the common beam1647 normaa1676 plummet line1683 norm1821 modulus1857 normative1909 the world > matter > properties of materials > lightness > be light [verb (intransitive)] > be greatly outweighed to kick or strike the beam1712 1386 Records Grocers' Co. Lond. (facsimile 67) Item paie a Johan Reche pour defendre le pursute dell Bem.] 1448 MS. Records do. 147 Weying the same marchaundise at ther owne beeme, and not at the commorn beeme. a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) II. f. xxviii^v Than was layde vnto theyr charge that..They hadde alteryd the Kynges Beame. a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) II. f. lxvii^v All suche wares, as they shulde haue weyed at the kynges Bealme. 1607 S. Hieron Dignitie of Script. in Wks. (1620) I. 79 To make the written word (as it were) the standard or the kings beame, by which to try all doctrine. 1647 N. Ward Simple Cobler Aggawam 36 A sin..that seemes small in the common beam of the world, may be very great in the scales of his Sanctuary. 1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 463. ¶3 The latter, to shew its comparative Lightness, immediately flew up and kickt the Beam. 1860 G. P. Morris Poems (ed. 15) 53 Wealth!—a straw within the balance, Opposed to love will strike the beam. †7. The pole or shaft of a chariot. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > cart, carriage, or wagon > parts of cart or carriage > [noun] > shaft(s) or pole thillc1325 limber1480 sway1535 neap1553 draught-tree1580 wain-beam1589 beam1600 fills1609 spire1609 foreteam?1611 verge1611 shaft1613 rangy1657 pole1683 thrill1688 trill1688 rod1695 range1702 neb1710 sharp1733 tram1766 carriage pole1767 sill1787 tongue1792 nib1808 dissel-boom1822 tongue-tree1829 reach1869 wain-stang1876 1600 G. Chapman tr. Homer Iliad v. 736 The chariot's..beam that look'd before Was massy silver. 1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Æneis xii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 598 Juturna..Forc'd from the Beam her Brother's Charioteer. 8. Tanning. A block of varying shape upon which hides are fixed to be scraped or shaved. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > equipment > equipment for working with skins or leather > [noun] > for removing flesh or hair > block summer1728 beam1875 1875 R. Hunt & F. W. Rudler Ure's Dict. Arts (ed. 7) III. 93 The furniture in this department consists of a beam on which the leather is shaved, etc. ** of other materials. †9. A large bar of metal; a piece of metal fulfilling the functions of sense 3. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > metal > metal in specific state or form > [noun] > large bar of metal beamc885 c885 tr. Orosius Hist. ii. viii. §5 Hiora ærenan beamas..ne mehton from Galliscum fyre forbærnede weorþan. a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1874) V. 315 Hormisda lefte in Seynt Peter his chirche a beme [trabem] of silver. 1597 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie v. lxxix. 244 A certaine beame of Golde about seauen hundred and a halfe in waight. 1613 S. Purchas Pilgrimage i. vii. 112 A great beame of gold. Categories » 10. The shank or main part of an anchor (Phillips 1706, Johnson, etc.); but according to Admiral Smyth, the stock. 11. In the steam-engine, etc.: A heavy iron lever, having a reciprocating 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 or wheel-shaft, to which it communicates motion; also called working-beam and walking-beam. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > engine > steam engine > [noun] > parts of > levers working beam1744 beam1759 lever1759 side lever1804 lever-beam1824 walking beam1824 sway-beam1839 grasshopper-beam?1865 1759 K. Fitz-Gerald in Philos. Trans. 1758 (Royal Soc.) 50 727 [In] the fire-engine..it was necessary to contrive some way to make the beam, tho' moving alternately, to turn a wheel constantly round one way. 1851 T. Carlyle Life J. Sterling ii. ix. 257 I saw half the beam of a great steam-engine..cast in about five minutes. 1884 Harper's Mag. July 270/1 The walking-beam which drives the side-wheels. 12. The main trunk of a stag's horn which bears the branches or ‘antlers’. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > male > [noun] > body and parts > antler > main stem of beam1575 royal1575 royal antler1728 hornbeam1861 royal tine1877 1575 G. Gascoigne Noble Arte Venerie xxi. 53 When the beame is great, burnished..and not made crooked by the Antlyers. 1630 J. Taylor Wks. i. 93/1 A Buckes hornes are composed of Burre, Beame, etc. 1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth III. 114 The fourth year, that part [of the horn] which bears the antlers is called the beam. 1862 C. P. Collyns Notes on Chase of Wild Red Deer ii The ‘beam,’ or main horn, increases in size..as the stag grows older. †13. The part of a cock's leg below the thigh and above the spur. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > birds > order Galliformes (fowls) > family Phasianidae (pheasants, etc.) > hen or cock > [noun] > cock > parts of cock stone1586 beam1614 1614 G. Markham Cheape & Good Husb. (1623) 135 His legs straight, and of a strong beame. 1727 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Oeconomique (Dublin ed.) at Cock ] II. Nautical extensions of senses 1, 3 †14. poetic. A ship, a bark: perhaps, originally one made of a hollowed trunk. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > [noun] shipc725 beamOE boardOE bargea1300 steera1300 vessela1300 treea1382 loomc1400 man1473 ark1477 bottom1490 keela1547 riverboat1565 craft1578 pine1592 class1596 flood-bickerer1599 pitchboard1599 stern-bearer1599 wooden horse1599 wooden isle1603 water treader?1615 water house1616 watercraft1618 machine1637 prore1642 lightman1666 embarkation1690 bark1756 prowa1771 Mudian1813 bastiment1823 hooker1823 nymph1876 M.F.V.1948 OE Riddle 10 7 Hæfde feorh cwico, þa ic of fæðmum cwom brimes ond beames on blacum hrægle. 1509 A. Barclay Brant's Shyp of Folys (Pynson) f. clxxxix Howe thou the auenterest in holowe beame To pas the see. 15. One of the horizontal transverse timbers, stretching from side to side of a ship, supporting the deck, and holding the vessel together. on the beams: cf. to be on the beam-ends n. at sense 18. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > body of vessel > [noun] > timbers of hull > deck or hold beams transom1545 beam1627 wing-transom1711 stool1797 hold-beam1801 breast beam1805 skid beam1846 beak-head-beam1850 cat-beam1850 deck-beam1858 main-transom1867 spale1867 1627 J. Smith Sea Gram. ii. 5 The maine beame is euer next the maine mast, where is the ships greatest breadth. 1790 Coll. Voy. round World III. i. 809 Before we could raise the main tack, the Dolphin was laid upon her beams. 1795 Ld. Nelson in Dispatches & Lett. (1845) II. 5 The ships built at Toulon have their sides, beams, decks..from this Island. 1873 Act 36 & 37 Victoria lxxxv. §3 The number denoting her registered tonnage shall be cut in on her main beam. 16. a. Hence, The greatest breadth of a ship. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessel with reference to qualities or attributes > [noun] > attributes of vessel > greatest width bearinga1618 beam1627 main-breadth1850 1627 J. Smith Sea Gram. iii. 15 Suppose a Ship of 300. Tunnes be 29 foot at the Beame. 1781 Ld. Nelson in Dispatches & Lett. (1844) I. 43 The Albemarle is not so wide on the gun-deck by four inches, but the same beam. 1875 ‘Stonehenge’ Man. Brit. Rural Sports (ed. 12) ii. viii. i. §3 The shallow hull gave way..to sharp bottoms, less beam, and a great deal of lead. b. transferred. The (width of the) hips or buttocks; esp. in colloquial phrase broad in the beam. ΘΚΠ the world > life > the body > external parts of body > trunk > back > buttock(s) > [noun] flitcha700 arse-endseOE culec1220 buttockc1300 tail1303 toutec1305 nagea1325 fundamentc1325 tail-end1377 brawna1382 buma1387 bewschers?a1400 crouponc1400 rumplec1430 lendc1440 nachec1440 luddocka1475 rearwarda1475 croupc1475 rumpc1475 dock1508 hurdies1535 bunc1538 sitting place1545 bottom?c1550 prat1567 nates1581 backside1593 crupper1594 posteriorums1596 catastrophe1600 podex1601 posterior1605 seat1607 poop1611 stern1631 cheek1639 breeka1642 doup1653 bumkin1658 bumfiddle1661 assa1672 butt1675 quarter1678 foundation1681 toby1681 bung1691 rear1716 fud1722 moon1756 derrière1774 rass1790 stern-post1810 sit-down1812 hinderland1817 hinderling1817 nancy1819 ultimatum1823 behinda1830 duff?1837 botty1842 rear end1851 latter end1852 hinder?1857 sit1862 sit-me-down1866 stern-works1879 tuchus1886 jacksy-pardy1891 sit-upon1910 can1913 truck-end1913 sitzfleisch1916 B.T.M.1919 fanny1919 bot1922 heinie1922 beam1929 yas yas1929 keister1931 batty1935 bim1935 arse-end1937 twat1937 okole1938 bahookie1939 bohunkus1941 quoit1941 patoot1942 rusty-dusty1942 dinger1943 jacksie1943 zatch1950 ding1957 booty1959 patootie1959 buns1960 wazoo1961 tush1962 1929 H. Walpole Hans Frost ii. vi. 177 He stood watching disgustedly Bigges' broad beam. 1944 S. E. H. Beach Amabel & Mary Verena xxiv. 92 A cast-off of Jim's. He's grown too broad in the beam for it. 1960 I. Cross Backward Sex i. 24 ‘I'm too broad around the beam.’ ‘What do you mean?..’ ‘My hips, silly..I've got wide hips.’ 17. Hence designating the side of a vessel or sideward direction, esp. in technical phrases. lee or weather beam: the side away from or towards the wind. on or upon the (starboard or larboard) beam: at some distance on the (right or left) side of a ship, at right angles to the keel. abaft or before the beam: behind or before an imaginary line drawn right across the centre of the ship. beam sea: one rolling against the ship's side. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > body of vessel > side(s) of vessel > [noun] boardOE sideOE shipboardc1200 broadside1591 beama1665 society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > body of vessel > fore part of vessel > in front part of vessel [phrase] abaft or before the beam1791 society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > body of vessel > side(s) of vessel > [noun] > away from wind lee-board?a1400 lee or weather beam1834 the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > state of sea > direction of sea > [noun] > against ship's side beam sea1883 a1665 K. Digby Jrnl. Voy. to Mediterranean (1868) 83 You gett your chace vpon your beame. 1791 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse §159 The wind..was but one point before our beam. 1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple I. xv. 231 Land on the lee beam. 1836 F. Marryat Mr. Midshipman Easy III. iv. 66 The other frigate had passed half her length clear of the beam of the Aurora. 1883 J. A. Froude Sketches 67 The wind rose..bringing..a heavy beam sea. 18. beam-ends n. the ends of a ship's beams. to be, or be laid, on the beam-ends: to have them touching the water, so that the vessel lies on its side in imminent danger of capsizing; figurative to be quite laid aside, utterly at a loss, hard up. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > present difficulties [verb (intransitive)] > be in difficulties or straits > be in desperate difficulty one's (or the) last (or utter) shift1733 beam-ends1773 hang1874 society > travel > travel by water > shipwreck > suffer shipwreck [verb (intransitive)] > capsize overset1641 beam-ends1773 upset1799 capsize1805 1773 Gentleman's Mag. 43 321 The gust laid her upon her beam-ends. 1796 J. Morse Amer. Universal Geogr. (new ed.) I. 517 A number of large river craft..on their beam-ends for want of water. 1830 F. Marryat King's Own II. vi. 94 Our first-lieutenant was..on his beam-ends, with the rheumatiz. 1844 C. Dickens Martin Chuzzlewit xl. 463 Tom..was thrown upon his beam-ends again for some other solution. III. An immaterial beam, of light, colour, etc. 19. a. A ray, or ‘bundle’ of parallel rays, of light emitted from the sun or other luminous body; out-streaming radiance. [Apparently this sense arose in Old English through literal translation from the Latin; not, however, as often thought, of radius solis ‘a spoke’ of the sun, but of columna lucis a ‘pillar’ or ‘column’ of light; an expression used more than once by Bæda (e.g. H.E. III. xi) to denote a column or stream of light rising from a saint's dead body, which Ælfred renders by swylce sunne-béam. Also, in the poetical version of Exodus, the pillars or columns of fire and cloud, are béamas twégen; the fiery pillar is wuldres béam, column or beam of glory, byrnende béam, and in the metrical Psalms, fýren béam a fire beam. We may compare the beam- or balk-like appearance of the illuminated dusty atmosphere of a room, and the representations of light from heaven in paintings.] ΘΚΠ the world > matter > light > [noun] > ray or beam beamc885 rowc1225 stringc1275 steamc1300 light beama1398 shafta1400 rayc1400 strakec1400 rade?a1563 gleed1566 radiation1570 shine1581 rayon1591 stralla1618 radius1620 rule1637 irradiation1643 track1693 emanation1700 spoke1849 spearc1850 slant1856 sword1866 secondary1921 the world > matter > light > naturally occurring light > [noun] > sunlight or sunshine > ray of beamc885 sunbeamOE sunray1596 fire-glance1662 streamer1697 sunglade1832 sun-darta1835 sun shaft1837 the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > light > [noun] > rays or waves rayc1400 tress1423 radiation1570 hair1594 hair1606 irradiation1643 beam1664 light wave1871 c885 in Anglo-Saxon Chron. ann. 678 Her ateowede cometa..and scan iii monðas ælce morgen swilce sunne beam [ Bæda, excelsam radiantis flammæ quasi columnam.] c1000 Ags. Ps. cv. 34 Het him neode, nihta gehwylce, fyrenne beam beforan wisian. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 8925 Þe leome þa strehte west-riht a seouen bæmen [c1300 Otho bemes] wes idiht. c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness (1920) l. 603 Bryȝt blykked þe bem of þe brode heuen. c1430 Hymns Virg. 208 Þe briȝt beemys blent my siȝt. 1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xi. 190 Armys..blenknyt [1489 Adv. blomyt] with the sonnys beyme. 1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice v. i. 90 How farre that little candell throwes his beames . View more context for this quotation 1664 H. Power Exper. Philos. i. 77 So were the Luminous Beams variously transmitted, refracted, or reflected. 1869 Tyndall in Fortn. Rev. 228 But what, in the first instance, is a beam of light? It is a train of innumerable waves, excited in, and propagated through, an almost infinitely attenuated and elastic medium, which fills all space, and which we name the æther. b. The appearance of rays produced by the sun's shining upon mist through gaps in the clouds. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > light > naturally occurring light > [noun] > sunlight or sunshine > ray of > produced by sunlight shining on mist or rain rainbowOE limb1801 beam1843 1843 J. Ruskin Mod. Painters I. 191 The appearance of beams can only take place in a part of the sky which has clouds between it and the sun. c. A radiating line of colour. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > colour > variegation > stripiness > [noun] > radiating stripe beam1705 1705 J. Petiver in Philos. Trans. 1704–05 (Royal Soc.) 24 1953 The other [shells] have red beams, which shoot from the hinge, and are broader at the edges. d. A directed flow of radiation or particles; frequently attributive. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > physics > atomic nucleus > radioactivity > [noun] > radiation emitted > directed flow of beam1906 1906 Rutherford in London, Edinb. & Dublin Philos. Mag. 6th Ser. 11 168 Radium served as a source of α rays. A narrow beam of rays, after passing through a parallel slit, fell on a photographic plate. 1908 H. Geiger in Proc. Royal Soc. A. 81 174 Scattering is well known in the case of β-particles. A narrow pencil of β-rays emerges after passing through a metal plate as an ill-defined beam. 1933 Discovery Aug. 236/2 The new research will be termed ‘beam’ therapy and will be carried on at the London Radium Institute in Portland Place. 1937 Discovery Nov. 329/2 The mechanical difficulties are obviated by using a beam of electrons for scanning. 1938 R. W. Lawson tr. G. von Hevesy & F. A. Paneth Man. Radioactivity (ed. 2) xxvi. 288 Cockcroft and Walton succeeded in 1932 in the transmutation of light elements, by bombarding them with a beam of fast protons. 1938 R. W. Lawson tr. G. von Hevesy & F. A. Paneth Man. Radioactivity (ed. 2) xxvi. 291 The focusing action results in the generation of beams of ions. 1959 Times 19 Jan. 8/2 A brain operation in which for the first time a beam of protons was used instead of surgical instruments has been performed at the Werner Institute for Nuclear Chemistry at Uppsala. 20. transferred. A similar ray of heat. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > [noun] > radiation of heat > ray of heat hot gleam1601 beam1860 the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > heat > [noun] > emission or diffusion > energy produced by > directed flow ray1813 beam1860 1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps ii. §3. 244 Two beams of heat, from two distinct sources. 1882 Longman's Mag. 38 In passing through the liquid layer, a beam of heat encounters the same number of molecules as in passing through the vapour layer. 21. figurative. Ray, gleam, emanation: beam of sight, a glance (also eye-beam n.). ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > a look or glance > [noun] eie wurpc950 laitc1175 looka1200 lecha1250 sightc1275 insighta1375 blushc1390 castc1400 glentc1400 blenkc1440 regardc1450 ray1531 view1546 beam of sight1579 eye-beam1583 eyewink1591 blink1594 aspecta1616 benda1616 eyeshot1615 eye-casta1669 twire1676 ken1736 Magdalene-look1752 glimmering1759 deek1833 wink1847 deck1853 vision1855 pipe1865 skeg1876 dekko1894 screw1904 slant1911 gander1914 squiz1916 butcher's hook1934 butcher's1936 gawk1940 bo-peep1941 nose1976 1579 S. Gosson Schoole of Abuse f. 16 Basiliskes..poyson, as wel with the beame of their sight, as with the breath of their mouth. 1594 C. Marlowe & T. Nashe Dido iii. sig. C3 Lest their grosse eye-beames taint my louers cheekes. 1674 J. Owen Disc. Holy Spirit (1693) 235 A Beam of Truth from the Light of Nature. 1743 W. Collins Verses to T. Hanmer 8 Bring No Beam of Comfort to the guilty King? 1819 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto I lxi. 33 Her cheek all purple with the beam of youth. †22. Mathematics. The radius of a circle, an axial line. (Translating Latin radius, apparently from the association of beam and ray of light.) Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > number > geometry > line > [noun] > over circle or sphere diameter1387 dimetient?a1560 beam1570 dimetient line1601 radiusa1657 diametral1658 ray1690 geodetic1850 geodesic1856 1570 J. Dee in H. Billingsley tr. Euclid Elements Geom. Math. Præf. sig. bj Beames, or naturall lines. 1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie ii. xi. 81 The beame is a line stretching directly from the circle to the center. 1624 H. Wotton Elements Archit. in Reliquiæ Wottonianæ (1672) 52 The Axel-tree, or middle Beam of the Eye. †23. Architecture. (See quot. 1664) Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > architecture > column > [noun] > shaft of column > fluting > beam beam1664 jesting-beam1900 1664 J. Evelyn Acct. Archit. in tr. R. Fréart Parallel Antient Archit. 130 Raies or Beames; which..are those plain spaces between the Flutings. 24. a. Radio Communication. In full radio beam, wireless beam: radio waves transmitted as a beam, i.e. undispersed, from a special aerial system, part of which acts as a reflector; usually attributive. ΘΚΠ society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > [noun] > radio wave > types of space wave1899 surface wave1913 CW1920 beam1924 sky wave1924 ground wave1927 tweek1933 1899 G. Marconi in Jrnl. Inst. Electr. Engineers 28 274 Should it be necessary to direct a beam of rays in one given direction I prefer to use an arrangement similar to a Righi oscillator placed in the focal line of a suitable cylindrical parabolic reflector.] 1924 Marconi 2 July in Jrnl. Royal Soc. Arts 25 July 607/2 The transmission and reception of intelligible signals over a distance of 1¾ miles of a beam system employing short waves and reflectors. 1924 Westm. Gaz. 24 July Arrangements had been made for the erection of a beam station in Canada. 1924 Daily News 14 Nov. 7/4 Beam wireless. 1925 Telegr. & Teleph. Jrnl. Mar. 107/1 Australian papers give the following..information regarding the ‘Beam’ Radio Stations. 1927 Daily Mail 2 Dec. 11/1 Cable Companies and The Beam. 1928 Morning Post 23 Mar. 14 Beam-cable fusion [of the Eastern Exchange Cable Company and Marconi Company]... The beam system of telegraphy. 1934 Nature 24 Feb. 297/2 One advantage of short-wave transmission in radio communication is that it is possible to concentrate the radiation..in one direction, thus forming a beam of waves... A series of vertical aerials..(called a beam array) will act like Hertz's reflector. 1946 Proc. IRE 34 335 (title) A Current Distribution for Broadside Arrays which Optimizes the Relationship between Beam Width and Side-Lobe Level. 1958 Engineering 31 Jan. 157/3 The aerial has been designed to give a sharp beamwidth at high signal strength. At 20 db the horizontal beamwidth extends about 0·65 deg. b. Aeronautics. A directional radio transmission used to guide aircraft or missiles; frequently attributive, as beam approach. ΘΚΠ society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > [adjective] > type of wave > used to guide aircraft or missiles beam1927 society > travel > air or space travel > action of flying (in) aircraft > navigation of course of aircraft > [noun] > radio beam or beacon beacon1919 localizer1922 beam1927 landing beam1929 marker beacon1929 fan marker1948 society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > [noun] > radio wave > types of > used to guide aircraft or missiles beam1927 1927 Sci. Amer. Jan. 32 Radio along the Airways. Invisible beams guide birdmen in flights between European cities. 1929 Aviation 28 Dec. 1277/1 A landing beam transmitter buried flush with the ground in the center of the field. 1929 Aviation 28 Dec. 1277/1 After finding the beam the pilot glides down it toward the field. 1933 K. Henney Radio Engin. Handbk. 537 The diminution of intensity as the airplane drops below the inclined axis is compensated by the increase of intensity due to approaching the beam transmitter. 1941 Tee Emm Oct. 8/1 The policy is that Beam Approach training shall be introduced..as equipment becomes available. 1949 A. R. Weyl Guided Missiles i. 26 The ‘beam-rider’ system in which the missile flies along a radar beam. 1958 Times 9 Oct. 10/2 It carries a warhead with proximity fuse and a beam guidance system. 1963 Oxf. Mag. 9 May 280/2 The Germans with their beam flying provided us with targets that would have been peculiarly favourable to aerial mine defence. c. to be on the beam, to be on the course indicated by a radio beam; hence figurative (colloquial) to be on the right track, right, sane. So to be off the beam. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > truthfulness, veracity > speak truly [verb (intransitive)] > be right to have reasonc1475 to get (also have) the right end of the stick1817 hit1874 to be on the beam1941 the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > lack of truth, falsity > mistake [phrase] to miss the cushiona1529 to get, have, or take the (or a) wrong (or right) sow by the ear1546 to pray without one's beads1641 to have the wrong end of the stick?1793 to bark up the wrong tree1832 the boot (is) on the wrong leg or foot1834 to have another think coming1896 you have another guess coming1935 to be off the beam1941 blow1943 1941 Amer. Speech 16 238/2 Expressions disparaging a person's mental state..off his beam (airplane). 1941 Daring Detective Nov. 7/2 ‘Now we know we're on the beam,’ said Brubach. ‘Sex maniacs and drinking companions are definitely eliminated.’ 1943 J. L. Hunt & A. G. Pringle Service Slang 49 On the beam, I follow what you are saying. (R.A.F.). 1948 Observer 18 Jan. 2/3 Hugh Burden, as Barnaby, was right on the beam from the start. 1949 Jrnl. Brit. Interplanet. Soc. 8 143 Thus rocket aeroplanes might seem ‘off the beam’ of true astronautics. 1951 ‘J. Tey’ Daughter of Time ix. 121 ‘He's away off the beam. Away off.’ ‘I suspected as much. Let us have the facts.’ 1954 ‘N. Blake’ Whisper in Gloom i. iv. 58 Never heard of him. You're off the beam. Compounds C1. General attributive. a. (In sense 3.) beam-pin n. ΚΠ ?1614 G. Chapman tr. Homer Odysses i. 675 And hung them on a beam-pin near the bed. b. (In sense 8.) beam-house n. ΚΠ 1885 Harper's Mag. Jan. 274/2 The..tip-cart..makes its appearance..ready to take a load to the beam-house. beam-knife n. beam-man n. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > manual or industrial worker > workers with specific materials > worker with skins or hides > [noun] > worker with leather > who unhairs hides beam-man1884 beamster1885 1884 Western Morning News 3 Sept. 2/1 To Tanners.—Wanted, young man as Beamman. c. (In sense 11.) beam-gudgeon n. d. (In sense 12.) beam-antler n. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > male > [noun] > body and parts > antler > branch > second rialc1425 royal1575 surantler1575 bez-antler1598 beam-antler1623 bay1862 bisantler1863 1623 H. Cockeram Eng. Dict. at Pollard Beame antler is the next start growing above the Brow antler. e. (In sense 15.) beam-knee n. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > body of vessel > [noun] > timbers of hull > angular supporting timber knee1337 hook1611 standardc1620 carling-knee1626 standing knee1726 dagger-knee1850 hanging knee1850 beam-knee1869 1869 E. J. Reed Shipbuilding viii. 145 And the Beam-knee ends are welded on to the central piece. beam-plate n. f. (In sense 19.) beam-star n. ΘΚΠ the world > the universe > constellation > zodiacal constellation > [noun] > Libra > part of beam-star1658 1658 tr. J. Ussher Ann. World 360 The planet of Mercurie..was seen, near to the beam star in the signe of Libre. C2. beam-action n. the action of a beam-engine. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > engine > steam engine > [noun] > types of > action of beam-action1896 1896 Daily News 7 Jan. 6/5 The..beam-action locomotives of that extremely primitive line. beam aerial n. a directional aerial for transmitting a radio beam. ΘΚΠ society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > radio equipment > [noun] > aerial radiator1897 aerial wire1899 aerial1902 antenna1902 loop antenna1906 loop aerial1913 twin aerial1913 frame aerial1916 loop1922 beam aerial1926 cage aerial1926 Adcock1928 dipole1929 V antenna1932 beam antenna1935 rig1935 horn1936 whip1940 whip aerial1941 whip antenna1943 polyrod1945 unipole1945 slot aerial1946 slot antenna1946 dish1948 quad1951 V aerial1961 dish aerial1962 rectenna1964 omni-antenna1966 monopole1974 1926 Gloss. Terms Electr. Engin. (B.S.I.) Beam Aerial System, a combination of aerials with their earthing, tuning and reflecting arrangements so disposed as to concentrate the available radiated energy into a beam. 1945 Electronic Engin. 17 719 Indicating the target by means of a rotating beam aerial. beam antenna n. ΘΚΠ society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > radio equipment > [noun] > aerial radiator1897 aerial wire1899 aerial1902 antenna1902 loop antenna1906 loop aerial1913 twin aerial1913 frame aerial1916 loop1922 beam aerial1926 cage aerial1926 Adcock1928 dipole1929 V antenna1932 beam antenna1935 rig1935 horn1936 whip1940 whip aerial1941 whip antenna1943 polyrod1945 unipole1945 slot aerial1946 slot antenna1946 dish1948 quad1951 V aerial1961 dish aerial1962 rectenna1964 omni-antenna1966 monopole1974 1935 K. Henney Radio Engin. Handbk. (ed. 2) 774 The elements of the Walmsley beam antenna. beam-arm n. a crooked timber extending from the side of a beam to the ship's side, in the wake of the hatchway (Adm. Smyth). ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > body of vessel > [noun] > timbers of hull > other timbers supporting beams pointer1750 shelf-piece1830 shelf1845 beam-arm1850 fork-beam1850 hold-stanchion1867 1850 J. Greenwood Sailor's Sea-bk. Explan. Terms 95 Beam-Arm, or Fork-Beam, a forked piece of timber, nearly of the depth of the beam, scarphed, tabled, and bolted, for additional security to the sides of beams athwart large openings in the decks, as the main hatchway and the mast-rooms. beam-bird n. dialect name of the Spotted Flycatcher. ΚΠ 1766 T. Pennant Brit. Zool. ii. 263 Known in that county [i.e. York] by the name of the beam-bird, because it nestles under the ends of beams in outbuildings, &c. beam-blind adj. uncritical of oneself (cf. sense 3c); so beam-blindness. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > misjudgement > indiscriminateness > [adjective] > uncritical of oneself beamed1628 beam-blind1879 the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > misjudgement > indiscriminateness > [noun] > state of being uncritical oneself beam-blindness1932 1879 G. M. Hopkins Poems (1967) 81 What hinders? Are you beam-blind, yet to a fault In a neighbour deft-handed? 1932 S. C. Carpenter Supernat. Relig. iv. 94 The difference between his [sc. our Lord's] moteless eye and the beam-blindness of the Pharisees. beam-board n. the platform of a steelyard or balance. Categories » beam-centre n. the central pin on which the beam of a steam-engine works. beam-compass n. an instrument consisting of a wooden or brass beam with sliding sockets, for drawing larger circles than an ordinary pair of compasses can describe. ΘΚΠ society > communication > representation > a plastic or graphic representation > graphic representation > drawing plans or diagrams > [noun] > drawing instruments > for circles compassa1387 shank1587 beam-compass1785 bow-compass1796 bow-pen1869 pencil arm1884 spring bow1998 1785 W. Roy in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 75 402 A beam-compass, sufficient to take in twenty feet. beam-ends n. (see 18). beam-engine n. a steam engine having a vibrating beam through which the piston effort is transmitted to the crank. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > engine > steam engine > [noun] > types of fire waterwork1663 steam-wheel1797 Cornish engine1840 beam-engine1844 machine-whim1848 screw engine1852 donkey-engine1858 quadruple expansion1861 tandem engine1878 uniflow1971 1844 H. Stephens Bk. of Farm II. 312 The beam-engine of 6-horse power. a1877 E. H. Knight Pract. Dict. Mech. I. 257/1 Beam-engine.., an engine with an oscillating beam, to whose respective ends the connecting-rod from the piston and the pitman from the crank are attached. 1896 Daily News 7 Jan. 6/5 A slow moving and dignified beam-engine. beam-feather n. (see quot.). ΘΚΠ the world > animals > birds > order Falconiformes (falcons, etc.) > family Accipitridae (hawks, etc.) > [noun] > hawk > parts of > feathers > of wing beam-feather1486 sarcel1486 the world > animals > birds > order Falconiformes (falcons, etc.) > family Accipitridae (hawks, etc.) > [noun] > hawk > parts of > feathers > of tail beam-feather1486 stern1575 1486 Bk. St. Albans A. viij b And oon principall feder of thes same is in the myddis..that is called the Beme feder of the tayle. 1721 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. Beam-feathers [among falconers], the long feathers of a Hawk's Wing [in mod. dicts.]. beam-fish n. ? a shark (see quot.). ΘΚΠ the world > animals > fish > subclass Elasmobranchii > order Pleurotremata > [noun] > member of (shark) shark1569 hay-fish1613 sea-shark1655 sea-panther1668 beam-fish1742 squalus1753 water-lawyer1794 squaloid1836 Noah's Ark1945 Noah1965 1742 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. Beam-fish, a sea monster like a pike, a dreadful enemy to mankind, seizing like a blood-hound, and never letting go, if he gets fast hold. beam-like adj. like a beam, of timber or of light. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > framework of building > [adjective] > beam beam-like1620 beameda1711 trabeated1843 trabeal1862 trabeate1890 the world > matter > light > [adjective] > emitting rays > of the nature of or resembling rays radiant1509 radial1570 radious1692 streamy1718 beam-like1820 actinomorphous1879 1620 F. Quarles Jonah (1638) 27 The great Leviathan set ope His beame-like Jawes. 1820 P. B. Shelley Sensitive Plant in Prometheus Unbound 165 The bee and the beamlike ephemeris. beam-line n. the line which shows the junction of the upper sides of the successive beams with the ship's sides. ΚΠ 1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. 89 Beam-line, a line raised along the inside of the ship fore and aft, showing the upper sides of the beams at her side. beam-splitter n. Photography a device consisting of a prismatic arrangement of mirrors (see quots.); so beam-splitting adj. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > photography > camera > [adjective] > types of camera pinhole1861 twin-lens1894 reflex1907 autofocus1917 miniature1921 autofocusing1922 wide-field1925 beam-splitting1935 point-and-shoot1964 subminiature1968 multi-mode1980 multiprogramme1990 society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > photography > camera > parts and accessories of camera > [noun] > lens > other lens attachments focuser1861 rangefinder1930 beam-splitter1935 starburst1967 1935 Discovery July 189/1 Iceland spar..beam splitter..entirely free from parallax. This system may be employed..to obtain three-colour negatives. 1940 Chambers's Techn. Dict. 83/1 Beam-splitter or beam-splitting camera, a camera for colour photography, in which the beam of light from the object is separated into three components by means of a complicated prism. 1956 A. L. M. Sowerby Dict. Photogr. (ed. 18) 52 Beamsplitter, a combination of four mirrors..used either for taking a stereoscopic pair of pictures with an ordinary single-lens camera, or for projecting or viewing a stereo pair so made. 1958 Newnes Compl. Amateur Photogr. xxvi. 235 Stereos taken on the same frame by a beam-splitting device. beam-trawl v. to fish with a trawl-net of which the mouth is kept open by a beam. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > type or method of fishing > [verb (intransitive)] > fish with net > with trawl-nets trawl1561 saw1630 beam-trawl1883 tow-net1891 pair trawl1977 1883 Great Internat. Fisheries Exhib. Catal. 3 The rapid growth of beam-trawling. Draft additions September 2013 Gymnastics. Now also as balance beam. A narrow, raised horizontal piece of squared timber on which a gymnast performs balancing exercises. Also: a competitive event for women using this apparatus. ΚΠ 1823 P. H. Clias Elem. Course Gymnastic Exercises i. 19 As soon as he can..go forwards on the beam, without the assistance of the master, the scholar should try to go backward, keeping the same balance as in the preceding exercise. 1894 A. Alexander Physical Drill of All Nations x. 128 Place both hands upon the beam, and..lean the weight of the body upon the arms. 1919 Amer. Jrnl. Nursing 20 197 Equipment for Training School Gymnasium: Bar stalls, benches..adjustable flying rings, balance beam, jump stands. 1956 Life 17 Dec. 95 (caption) On the balance beam, Larisa Latynina of Russia..assumes the v-hold. 1961 V. Belyakov Soviet Gymnastics 268 The winners of the silver medals were: Muratova for the vault, Latynina for the parallel bars and beam. 2006 Times 26 Oct. (Sport section) 89/4 She finished thirteenth on the asymmetric bars and fell off the beam. Draft additions September 2013 A bright facial expression; a wide, radiant smile (of approval, joy, relief, etc.). Cf. beam v. 3b. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > pleasure > smiling > [noun] > a smile > other types of smile smilet1591 beam1773 sun-smile1808 a wan smile1877 shit-eating grin1956 shit-eating grin1990 the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > thing seen > appearance or aspect > [noun] > facial appearance or expression > specific light1535 mask1605 severity1711 beam1773 study1886 1773 Gentleman's & London Mag. Nov. 696/1 A beam of joy flashing in his countenance. 1818 M. W. Shelley Frankenstein I. 27 There are moments when..his whole countenance is lighted up..with a beam of benevolence and sweetness. 1871 London Society May 478/1 A beam of gladness had replaced the timid expression it [sc. her face] had worn. 1920 E. Wharton Age of Innocence xxviii. 285 May..turned to shed on him a beam of approval. 2010 F. Phillips Before I Forget xix. 209 Mum would be in the front row, big beam on her face, camera at the ready. Draft additions September 2013 beam reach n. Nautical a reach (reach n.¹ 14b) made with the wind at right angles to the vessel's keel (cf. beam wind n. at Additions). ΚΠ 1893 Boston Daily Advertiser 3 June 2/2 One of the ideal courses for a yacht race, giving..10 miles dead to windward, 10 miles to leeward and 10 miles of beam reach. 1965 E. A. Pearson Lure of Sailing ii. 48 When on a beam reach, the driving force is at its greatest and sailboats attain their best speeds. 2010 Yachting Monthly Apr. 81/1 On a beam reach we made 4.1 knots. Draft additions September 2013 beam wind n. Nautical a wind blowing at right angles to the keel, so as to hit the side of a vessel. ΚΠ 1840 Times 18 Aug. 4/3 The Archimedes is known to be a superior vessel, and more particularly so with a fair or beam wind. 1911 Daily Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 15 Apr. 5/5 This..would be a lamentable disregard of the essentials of safety, where a beam wind might be encountered at any time. 1992 P. Theroux Happy Isles Oceania v. 95 It was clumsy paddling in a beam wind, the waves breaking against the side and twisting the boat. 2003 C. A. Thoresen Port Designer's Handbk. (2006) iv. 118 The wind force on a ship will vary with the exposed area of the ship. A beam wind will strike the entire exposed side area of the ship, compared with the relatively small exposed area for the head wind. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887; most recently modified version published online June 2022). † beamn.² Forms: Middle English beam, Middle English beame, Middle English beem. Origin: Probably a variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymon: beam n.¹ Etymology: Probably a specific use of beam n.¹ (compare beam n.¹ 2), with allusion to the cross as typical of misfortune and distress. Only in bote of beam: remedy, improvement, restoration. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > amending > [noun] > remedy helpc1000 healinga1225 remedy?c1225 bote of beam1330 recurec1330 recoverera1375 remeida1413 redemption?a1439 botmenta1450 recurementc1450 presidy?a1475 mendsa1525 repair1612 relief1616 booty beam1642 beyond retrieve1658 beyond retrieval1697 the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > improvement > [noun] betteringeOE amendmentc1230 bote of beam1330 meliorationa1400 upraisingc1400 reformation?a1425 amelioration?a1450 enrichinga1513 amendsa1547 gooding1567 betterment1594 meliorization1599 endearment1612 raisure1613 betterance1614 ascenta1616 ascension1617 enrichmenta1626 improvement1625 booty beam1642 meliorating1647 bonification1652 uplift1873 work1914 pickupa1916 upgrading1920 tone-up1943 stepping1958 upgradation1979 upgrade1980 1330 R. Mannyng Chron. 90 Þer he wist bote of beam, he went þat viage To William þe rede kyng. 1330 R. Mannyng Chron. 103 For seke is þe kyng, of him is no bote of beem. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887; most recently modified version published online March 2021). beamv. Brit. /biːm/, U.S. /bim/ Forms: Middle English beem, beme, 1700s– beam. Etymology: ? < Old English béamian (given by Bosworth on Somner's authority), < beam n.¹ I. From the ‘beam’ of light. †1. transitive. To shed light upon, irradiate, illumine. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > light > illumination > illuminate [verb (transitive)] onlighteOE enlightOE alemeOE alightOE lightOE belighta1200 lightena1382 clear1382 alightenc1384 lumine1387 clarify1398 shine1398 shed1412 beamc1430 enlymec1440 illumine1447 enlumine1481 illustre1490 enclear1509 elumine1532 illuminate1535 unshadow1550 illightena1555 allumine1570 eluminate1580 unnight1594 enlighten1595 to strike up1598 illume1604 luminate1623 illustrate1625 unbenight1629 emblaze1637 burn1712 alluminate1726 lamp1808 enkindle1870 c1430 Life St. Kath. 86 (1884) 46 For aungels come from heuene and counforted hir, beeming þat place of derkenesse wyth vnspekable cleernesse. 2. transitive. To throw out or radiate (beams or rays of light); to emit in rays. Often extended by forth, out, in. Also figurative. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > light > shine [verb (transitive)] > emit rays beamc1440 beglitter1582 brandish1605 embeam1610 diradiate1651 ray1658 eradiate1678 radiate1794 c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 30/1 Beme lygthte, radio. 1715 R. South 12 Serm. IV. 362 That God beams this Light into Man's Understanding. 1715 R. South 12 Serm. IV. 407 God beams in peculiar Evidences and Discoveries of the Truth, to such as embrace it in their Affections. c1750 W. Shenstone Love & Honour 187 The genial sun..Beams forth ungentle influences. 1785 E. Burke Speech Nabob Arcot's Debts in Wks. (1842) I. 321 What are the sciences they beamed out to enlighten it? 1871 J. R. Macduff Memories of Patmos xviii. 241 That eye which once beamed affection now rayless. 3. a. intransitive. To shine radiantly. literal and figurative. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > light > shine [verb (intransitive)] > emit rays rowa1393 radiate1598 beam1641 irradiate1642 outray1642 eradiate1647 ray1647 1641 S. Marshall Serm. Fast 9 No excellencie..like to that which beames out from God in the Covenant of grace. 1819 W. Irving Sketch Bk. i. 53 Her whole countenance beamed with smiles. 1839 P. J. Bailey Festus 4 Yon sun beams hottest on The earth when farthest off. b. Of a person: to smile radiantly, broadly, or good-naturedly. Frequently const. adv. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > pleasure > smiling > smile [verb (intransitive)] smirkc888 smilea1300 subride1623 to break a smile1796 beam1893 cheese1930 1893 Illustr. Sporting & Dramatic News 11 Mar. 28/2 I..tried to beam on a friend—albeit, a poor beamer at the best. 1900 E. Glyn Visits of Elizabeth (1906) 14 He..jumped off his horse and beamed—just as if we had parted the best of friends. 1922 H. Crane Let. 7 Aug. (1965) 95 I realize that he insulted me while he was here..but I shall beam on until all hope of his getting Bill an audience has vanished. 1936 R. A. Freeman Penrose Myst. i. i. 15 Mr. Polton took the coffee-pot in his..hands, beamed on it approvingly. 1937 A. J. Cronin Citadel ii. ii. 123 He beamed at the watch, for he could contemplate even inanimate objects..with that bland cordiality which was especially his own. II. From the ‘beam’ of timber. 4. To stretch (cloth) over a beam; to use a beam in Tanning (see beaming n. 2). ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > industry > working with specific materials > working with skins > work with skins [verb (transitive)] > stretch or smooth hides or leather beam1605 stake1686 frizz1697 strike1764 seta1884 snuff1897 the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile manufacture > manufacture textile fabric or that which consists of > manufacture of textile fabric > treating or processing textile fabric > treat or process textile fabric [verb (transitive)] > stretch rack1435 beam1605 1558 Act 1 Eliz. xii. §1 Deceitfull persons..doe vse to cast the pieces of Cloth ouer a beame.. and doe by sundry deuices racke, stretch, and draw the same.] 1605 in Quarter Sessions Rec. (N. Riding Rec. Soc.) (1884) I. 9 Did beame ten webbes of lynnen cloth of the length of 20 virgates the piece. a1884 E. H. Knight Pract. Dict. Mech. Suppl. 85/1 Beaming Machine, one for filling yarn beams of looms. 5. To roll (yarn or warp) on the beam of a loom. ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile manufacture > manufacture textile fabric or that which consists of > manufacture of textile fabric > [verb (transitive)] > weave > set warp > roll warp on beam beam1864 1864 R. A. Arnold Hist. Cotton Famine 34 The yarn, which has now become ‘warp,’ is then ‘beamed.’ Thesaurus » Categories » 6. To shore up or support by a beam. III. transitive. 7. To direct (a radio transmission) to a specific area. (Cf. beam n.¹ 24.) ΘΚΠ society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > communicate by radio [verb (transitive)] > transmit by radio > direct to specific area beam1927 1927 Daily Express 5 July 3/3 The King's message..was almost instantaneously ‘beamed’ to the receiving station at Milnerton, seven miles from Capetown. 1955 Times 29 July 3/1 A message announcing the inauguration of 28 new high-power radio transmitters..was ‘beamed’ to New York.. and other regions. 1964 Times 2 Apr. 20/7 Microwave equipment which will beam large numbers of telephone calls between Bloemfontein..and East London. 8. figurative. To direct at, towards. ΘΚΠ the mind > will > intention > intend [verb (transitive)] > direct actions, speech, etc., towards fasteneOE turna1200 redressa1393 intend?1504 convert1533 level1576 terminate1599 style1608 colline1674 intent1695 beam1956 target1964 1956 L. Ashton in A. Pryce-Jones New Outline Mod. Knowl. iii. 300 Modern invention is often only a realignment, but for the great artists it is a realignment ‘beamed’, to use a modern word, on the future. 1959 Listener 24 Sept. 469/2 Mr. Khrushchev's tour is beamed—so to speak—at Radio Peking. Draft additions 1993 b. Science Fiction. [Originally from the U.S. television series Star Trek: see trekkie n. 2.] (a) transitive. To transport (someone or something) through space as if along a beam of light or energy (esp. up to a spacecraft); frequently in extended use, esp. in catch-phrase beam me up (Scotty), i.e. out of an undesirable or dangerous situation; (b) intransitive, to travel through space in this way.The catch-phrase does not appear in this form in the original scripts (Mrs. M. B. Roddenberry). ΘΚΠ society > travel > transport > transport by psychic or futuristic means > [verb (transitive)] teleport1931 teletransport1953 beam1964 society > travel > air or space travel > space flight > [verb (intransitive)] > travel as if along beam of energy beam1964 the world > action or operation > safety > rescue or deliverance > rescue from dangerous situation [phrase] beam me up (Scotty)1984 society > travel > transport > transport by psychic or futuristic means > [phrase] beam me up (Scotty)1984 1964 G. Roddenberry Cage (TV story outline) in S. E. Whitfield & G. Roddenberry Making of ‘Star Trek’ (1968) i. iv. 48 The transporter.. beams them to materialize on the planet surface far below. 1966 Roddenberry & Johnson Man Trap in Star Trek (television script) 8 Sept. He beamed up to the ship with us—or something did. 1966 Roddenberry & Johnson Man Trap in Star Trek (television script) 8 Sept. Kirk speaking, three to beam up. 1966 Roddenberry & Johnson Man Trap in Star Trek (television script) 8 Sept. Captain, you can't just beam down here and bully us, and interfere with our work. 1967 Pop. Sci. Dec. 74/2 The ‘Transporter’..can convert matter into energy and ‘beam’ it to a fixed point, then reconvert it back into its original form. It is used for both crew and cargo. 1967–8 M. Armen Gamesters of Triskelion in Star Trek (television script) Kirk: Beam us up, Mr. Scott. 1984 Amer. Banker 31 July 52/1 ‘Beam me up Scotty, there's no prospect of finance down here.’ Undoubtedly, that's what Star Trek's Captain Kirk, commander of the science-fiction Starship Enterprise, would say if he came here in search of bank loans to fund extraterrestrial activities. 1985 Melody Maker 22 June 6 Beam me up! Extra-terrestrial-being Grace Jones gets eyeball to eyeball with a passing stranger in order to practise her famed Vulcan neckgrip. 1987 Washington Post 21 Mar. f17 ‘Do you ever find yourself fantasizing about being “free”?’ ‘Beam me up, Scotty!’ This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < n.¹826n.²1330v.c1430
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beamn.1

Compounds

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† beamn.2

beamv.

Draft additions 1993

beamn.¹

† beamn.²