Beam

Beam (A.S. beām, 'a tree'), any piece of wood, long like a tree. In the arts, the word has many special technical applications. It is the name, for instance, for part of a weaving-loom, of a balance, and of a stationary steam-engine. Beam in engineering is a strong stay of wood or of iron, for supporting lateral pressure. In ship-building it is applied to any of the transverse pieces of framing extending across the hull. In ship measurement it means breadth at the wales (see TONNAGE). The position of the beams, stretching across a ship at right angles to the keel, has given origin to many technical phrases used on shipboard. 'On the starboard beam' is applied to any distant point out at sea, at right angles to the keel, and on the starboard or right hand—as viewed from the stern—side of the ship. 'On the port beam' similarly applies to the left hand. 'On the weather beam' is that side of the ship which receives or is towards the wind. 'Before the beam' is the bearing of any object when seen more in advance than on the beam. 'Abaft the beam' is the reverse of the expression just noted. 'On her beam-ends' is applied to the position of a ship when so much inclined to one side that the beams become nearly vertical.