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Beam \Beam\ (b[=e]m), n. [AS. be['a]m beam, post, tree, ray of
light; akin to OFries. b[=a]m tree, OS. b[=o]m, D. boom, OHG.
boum, poum, G. baum, Icel. ba[eth]mr, Goth. bagms and Gr.
fy^ma a growth, fy^nai to become, to be. Cf. L. radius staff,
rod, spoke of a wheel, beam or ray, and G. strahl arrow,
spoke of a wheel, ray or beam, flash of lightning. [root]97.
See {Be}; cf. {Boom} a spar.]
1. Any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to
its thickness, and prepared for use.

2. One of the principal horizontal timbers of a building or
ship.

The beams of a vessel are strong pieces of timber
stretching across from side to side to support the
decks. --Totten.

3. The width of a vessel; as, one vessel is said to have more
beam than another.

4. The bar of a balance, from the ends of which the scales
are suspended.

The doubtful beam long nods from side to side.
--Pope.

5. The principal stem or horn of a stag or other deer, which
bears the antlers, or branches.

6. The pole of a carriage. [Poetic] --Dryden.

7. A cylinder of wood, making part of a loom, on which
weavers wind the warp before weaving; also, the cylinder
on which the cloth is rolled, as it is woven; one being
called the fore beam, the other the back beam.

8. The straight part or shank of an anchor.

9. The main part of a plow, to which the handles and colter
are secured, and to the end of which are attached the oxen
or horses that draw it.

10. (Steam Engine) A heavy iron lever having an oscillating
motion on a central axis, one end of which is connected
with the piston rod from which it receives motion, and
the other with the crank of the wheel shaft; -- called
also {working beam} or {walking beam}.

11. A ray or collection of parallel rays emitted from the sun
or other luminous body; as, a beam of light, or of heat.

How far that little candle throws his beams!
--Shak.

12. (Fig.): A ray; a gleam; as, a beam of comfort.

Mercy with her genial beam. --Keble.

13. One of the long feathers in the wing of a hawk; -- called
also {beam feather}.

{Abaft the beam} (Naut.), in an arc of the horizon between a
line that crosses the ship at right angles, or in the
direction of her beams, and that point of the compass
toward which her stern is directed.

{Beam center} (Mach.), the fulcrum or pin on which the
working beam of an engine vibrates.

{Beam compass}, an instrument consisting of a rod or beam,
having sliding sockets that carry steel or pencil points;
-- used for drawing or describing large circles.

{Beam engine}, a steam engine having a working beam to
transmit power, in distinction from one which has its
piston rod attached directly to the crank of the wheel
shaft.

{Before the beam} (Naut.), in an arc of the horizon included
between a line that crosses the ship at right angles and
that point of the compass toward which the ship steers.

{On the beam}, in a line with the beams, or at right angles
with the keel.

{On the weather beam}, on the side of a ship which faces the
wind.

{To be on her beam ends}, to incline, as a vessel, so much on
one side that her beams approach a vertical position.