- a line of light, electromagnetic waves or particles
- narrow beams of light/sunlight
- the beam of a torch/flashlight
- a laser/electron beam
- (British English) The car's headlights were on full beam (= shining as brightly as possible and not directed downwards).
Extra Examples- He played the beam of his torch over the wall of the cave.
- The beam from the lighthouse swept over the sea.
- He was suddenly caught in the full beam of a searchlight.
- They focus a high-powered X-ray beam on the affected area.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- light
- bright
- intense
- …
- emit
- fire
- shoot
- …
- shine
- illuminate something
- light something up
- …
- beam from
- beam of
- a long piece of wood, metal, etc. used to support weight, especially as part of the roof in a building
- The cottage had exposed oak beams.
Extra ExamplesTopics Buildingsc1- It was a charming cottage with original beams and a thatched roof.
- A concrete beam was put in to replace the wall we removed.
- The missiles are bolted to reinforced beams in the floor.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- timber
- wooden
- oak
- …
- support something
- (especially British English) (North American English usually balance beam)a wooden bar that is used in the sport of gymnastics for people to move and balance on
- The gymnast performed a somersault on the beam.
- a wide and happy smile
- a beam of satisfaction
Word OriginOld English bēam ‘tree, beam’, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch boom and German Baum.
Idioms
See beam in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee beam in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishoff beam
- (informal) not correct; wrong
- Your calculation is way off beam.
Check pronunciation:
beam