Beam

Quick meaning: Beam is a noun meaning (structural) Any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to its thickness, and prepared for use.

Meaning

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

More Meanings

1. (structural) One of the principal horizontal structural members, usually of steel, timber, or concrete, of a building.
2. (nautical) The maximum width of a vessel (note that a vessel with a beam of 15 foot can also be said to be 15 foot abeam).
3. (nautical) The direction across a vessel, perpendicular to fore-and-aft.
4. (nautical) The straight part or shank of an anchor.
5. (mechanical) The crossbar of a mechanical balance, from the ends of which the scales are suspended.
6. (nautical) One of the transverse members of a ship's frame on which the decks are laid, and acting as part of the support for keeping the sides of the vessel in shape — supported at the sides by knees in wooden ships and by stringers in steel ones; cf. abeam, beam-ends.
7. (mechanical) In steam engines, a heavy iron lever having an oscillating motion on a central axis, one end of which is connected with the piston rod from which it receives motion, and the other with the crank of the wheel shaft.

Example Sentences

This ship has more beam than that one.

The brasswork here, how rich it is in beams, / And how, besides, it makes the whole house sound.

Being only 280 ft. long, with a beam of 66 ft, their speed is moderate, and for a long time difficulty was experienced in steering them.

Lucie opened the door: and what do you think there was inside the hill?—a nice clean kitchen with a flagged floor and wooden beams—just like any other farm kitchen.

Word Forms

• beams
• beaming
• beamed

Synonyms for beam

Depending on context, synonyms include breadth, glow, air, transmit, radiate, shine.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include shaft, ray, radiate, glow, shine, air.

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