beam

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

v. shine, glow; smile. —n. ray, gleam; joist, timber. See light, support.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

1. [A relatively long, stout bar]

Syn. timber, brace, rafter, stringer, stud, two-by-four, scantling, strut, bolster, axle, reach, girder, sleeper, stay, crosspiece, prop, support, trestle, spar, transverse, pole, lath, furring strip, pile, balk, crossbar, T-beam, I-beam, steel beam, boom, post, kingpost, column, pillar, piling, stanchion, flitches, hammer beam, bail, joist, lintel, sill, jamb, cantilever, shaft, scaffolding, board, plank.

2. [A ray or Rays]

Syn. ray, emission, shaft, bar, sparkle, twinkle, flicker, streak, laser, pencil, glitter, glare, stream of light, shimmer, glint, glow, chink, gleam, glimmer, finger, beacon.

3. [Radio waves intended as a guide]

Syn. direction finder, unidirectional radio signal, radar; see beacon .

• off the beam*,

Syn. in error, misdirected, incorrect, inaccurate; see mistaken 1 , wrong 2 .

• on the beam*,

Syn. on course, functioning well, alert, keen; see accurate 1 , intelligent 1 .

v.

1. [To emit]

Syn. transmit, broadcast, give out, direct; see broadcast 2 , radiate 1 , send 4 .

2. [To shine]

Syn. radiate, glitter, gleam; see radiate 2 , shine 1 .

3. [To smile]

Syn. grin, laugh, smile radiantly, glow; see smile .

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus)

I

n.

1. support girder, brace, rafter, boom, crosspiece, joist, stud, board, two-by-four.

2. light ray, shaft, stream, swath, streak.

II

v.

1. transmit emit, flash, broadcast.

2. radiate glow, shine, glisten.

3. smile broadly grin, take on a cheerful glow, radiate. see smile

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I noun 1. A large, oblong piece of wood or other material, used especially for construction: balk, rafter, timber. See MATTER. 2. A series of particles or waves traveling close together in parallel paths: ray, shaft. See LIGHT. II verb 1. To emit a bright light: blaze1, burn, gleam, glow, incandesce, radiate, shine. See LIGHT. 2. To curve the lips upward in expressing amusement, pleasure, or happiness: grin, smile. Idioms: break into a smile, crack a smile. See EXPRESS.