1. [n]  a gymnastic apparatus used by women gymnasts
2. [n]  long thick piece of wood or metal or concrete, etc., used in construction
3. [n]  breadth amidships
4. [n]  a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides pilots in darkness or bad weather
5. [n]  a column of light (as from a beacon)
6. [n]  a group of nearly parallel lines of electromagnetic radiation
7. [v]  smile radiantly; express joy through one's facial expression
8. [v]  broadcast over the airwaves, as in radio or television; "We cannot air this X-rated song"
9. [v]  express with a beaming face or smile; "he beamed his approval"
10. [v]  experience a feeling of well-being or happiness, as from good health or an intense emotion; "She was beaming with joy"; "Her face radiated with happiness"
11. [v]  esp. of the complexion: show a strong bright color, such as red or pink; "Her face glowed when she came out of the sauna"
12. [v]  emit light; be bright, as of the sun or a light; "The sun shone bright that day"; "The fire beamed on their faces"

1. \Beam\, n. [AS. be['a]m beam, post, tree, ray of light;
   akin to OFries. b[=a]m tree, OS. b?m, D. boom, OHG. boum,
   poum, G. baum, Icel. ba?mr, Goth. bahms and Gr. ? a growth, ?
   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. ?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 angled
      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.
   

2. \Beam\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Beamed} (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Beaming}.]
   To send forth; to emit; -- followed ordinarily by forth; as,
   to beam forth light.
   

3. \Beam\, v. i.
   To emit beams of light.
         He beamed, the daystar of the rising age. --Trumbull.
   

[Star Trek Classic's "Beam me up, Scotty!"] To transfer softcopy of a file electronically; most often in combining forms such as "beam me a copy" or "beam that over to his site". Compare blast, snarf, BLT.

[Jargon File]

occurs in the Authorized Version as the rendering of various Hebrew words. In 1 Sam. 17:7, it means a weaver's frame or principal beam; in Hab. 2:11, a crossbeam or girder; 2 Kings 6:2, 5, a cross-piece or rafter of a house; 1 Kings 7:6, an architectural ornament as a projecting step or moulding; Ezek. 41:25, a thick plank. In the New Testament the word occurs only in Matt. 7:3, 4, 5, and Luke 6:41, 42, where it means (Gr. dokos) a large piece of wood used for building purposes, as contrasted with "mote" (Gr. karphos), a small piece or mere splinter. "Mote" and "beam" became proverbial for little and great faults.