Part 971

<hw>Beak"head`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <fld>(Arch.)</fld> <def>An ornament used in rich Norman doorways, resembling a head with a beak.</def>

<i>Parker.</i>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Naut.)</fld> <sd>(a)</sd> <def>A small platform at the fore part of the upper deck of a vessel, which contains the water closets of the crew.</def> <sd>(b)</sd> <fld>(Antiq.)</fld> <def>Same as <er>Beak</er>, 3.</def>

<h1>Beakiron</h1> <Xpage=127>

<hw>Beak"i*ron</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[From <er>Bickern</er>.]</ety> <def>A bickern; a bench anvil with a long beak, adapted to reach the interior surface of sheet metal ware; the horn of an anvil.</def>

<h1>Beal</h1> <Xpage=127>

<hw>Beal</hw> <tt>(<?/)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[See Boil a tumor.]</ety> <fld>(Med.)</fld> A small inflammatory tumor; a pustule. [Prov. Eng.]

<h1>Beal</h1> <Xpage=127>

<hw>Beal</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Bealed</er> <tt>(<?/)</tt>; <tt>p. pr & vb. n.</tt> <er>Bealing</er>.]</wordforms> <def>To gather matter; to swell and come to a head, as a pimple.</def> <mark>[Prov. Eng.]</mark>

<h1>Be-all</h1> <Xpage=127>

<hw>Be"-all`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The whole; all that is to be.</def> <mark>[Poetic]</mark>

<i>Shak.</i>

<h1>Beam</h1> <Xpage=127>

<hw>Beam</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[AS. <ets>be\'a0m</ets> beam, post, tree, ray of light; akin to OFries. <ets>b\'bem</ets> tree, OS. <ets>b<?/m</ets>, D. <ets>boom</ets>, OHG. <ets>boum</ets>, <ets>poum</ets>, G. <ets>baum</ets>, Icel. <ets>ba<?/mr</ets>, Goth. <ets>bahms</ets> and Gr. <ets><?/</ets> a growth, <ets><?/</ets> to become, to be. Cf. L. <ets>radius</ets> staff, rod, spoke of a wheel, beam or ray, and G. <ets>strahl</ets> arrow, spoke of a wheel, ray or beam, flash of lightning. <?/97. See <er>Be</er>; cf. <er>Boom</er> a spar.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to its thickness, and prepared for use.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>One of the principal horizontal timbers of a building or ship.</def>

<blockquote>The <b>beams</b> of a vessel are strong pieces of timber stretching across from side to side to support the decks. <i>Totten.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>The width of a vessel; <as>as, one vessel is said to have more <ex>beam</ex> than another</as>.</def>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>The bar of a balance, from the ends of which the scales are suspended.</def>

<blockquote>The doubtful <b>beam</b> long nods from side to side. <i>Pope.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>5.</b> <def>The principal stem or horn of a stag or other deer, which bears the antlers, or branches.</def>

<p><b>6.</b> <def>The pole of a carriage.</def> <mark>[Poetic]</mark>

<i>Dryden.</i>

<p><b>7.</b> <def>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 <i>fore beam</i>, the other the <i>back beam</i>.</def>

<p><b>8.</b> <def>The straight part or shank of an anchor.</def>

<p><b>9.</b> <def>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.</def>

<p><b>10.</b> <fld>(Steam Engine)</fld> <def>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 <altname>working beam</altname> or <altname>walking beam</altname>.</def>

<p><b>11.</b> <def>A ray or collection of parallel rays emitted from the sun or other luminous body; <as>as, a <ex>beam</ex> of light, or of heat</as>.</def>

<blockquote>How far that little candle throws his <b>beams</b> ! <i> Shak.</i></blockquote>