beam
/ˈbiːm/ noun B2- Any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to its thickness, and prepared for use.
- One of the principal horizontal structural members, usually of steel, timber, or concrete, of a building.
- 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.
- 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). · This ship has more beam than that one.
- The direction across a vessel, perpendicular to fore-and-aft.
- The straight part or shank of an anchor.
- The crossbar of a mechanical balance, from the ends of which the scales are suspended.
- 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.
Plural beams
Phrasal verbs and expressions
From the library
In the centre of this room there was an upright beam, which had been placed at some period as a support for the old worm-eaten baulk of timber which spanned the roof.
There, indeed, just under the corner of the great beam the house rested on, two feet were sticking out, shod in silver shoes with pointed toes.
On the table stood a dark-lantern with the shutter half open, throwing a brilliant beam of light upon the iron safe, the door of which was ajar.
Compelled, as they were, to await a night sufficiently dark to favor their flight, they were obliged to defer their final attempt till that auspicious moment should arrive; their greatest dread now was lest the stone through which the sentry was doomed to fall should give way before its right time, and this they had in some measure provided against by propping it up with a small beam which they had discovered in the walls through which they had worked their way.
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