"there are very fine oak beams in the oldest part of the house"

• a narrow, raised horizontal piece of squared timber on which a gymnast balances while performing exercises

  "a compulsory set of exercises on floor, vault, bars, and beam"

• a horizontal piece of squared timber or metal supporting the deck and joining the sides of a ship

  "the watertight skin and deck were put on over this framework of ribs and beams"

• the direction of an object visible from the port or starboard side of a ship when it is perpendicular to the centre line of the vessel

  "there was land in sight on the port beam"

• a ship's breadth at its widest point

  "a cutter with a beam of 16 feet"

• the width of a person's hips

  "notice how broad in the beam she's getting?"

• the main stem of a stag's antler

  "the wide beams sprouted ten main tines"

• the crossbar of a balance
• an oscillating shaft which transmits the vertical piston movement of a beam engine to the crank or pump
• the shank of an anchor
• the main timber of a horse-drawn plough

"a beam of light flashed in front of her"

• a directional flow of particles or radiation

  "beams of electrons"

• a series of radio or radar signals emitted as a navigational guide for ships or aircraft

  "the detector simply pinpoints the radar beams that other ships transmit"

"a beam of satisfaction"

"the satellite beamed back radio signals to scientists on Earth"

• (in science fiction) transport someone instantaneously to another place, especially to or from a spaceship

  "mission controller, beam me up!"

"the sun's rays beamed down"

"she beamed with pleasure"

• express (an emotion) with a radiant smile

  "the instructress beamed her approval"