beam

A narrow line of light or other energy traveling in one direction.

• A beam of light entered the room.
• The laser produces a narrow beam.
• Two bright beams swept across the sky.

How to use it: beam of something (A beam of sunlight fell across the table.)

Similar words: ray

Common phrases: beam of light, laser beam, sunlight beam

A long, strong piece of wood or metal that supports part of a building.

• A wooden beam supports the roof.
• Workers fitted new steel beams yesterday.
• The old house has exposed beams in every room.

Similar words: girder, support

Common phrases: steel beam, wooden beam, ceiling beam

A long, thick piece of wood or metal prepared for use.

• They cut the timber into beams.
• The worker lifted a heavy iron beam.
• Several long beams lay beside the workshop.

Similar words: bar, timber

Common phrases: timber beam, iron beam, heavy beam

A small sign of hope, comfort, or another positive feeling.

• Her letter brought a beam of comfort.
• He found a beam of hope in their kindness.
• That small success was the first beam of joy in weeks.

How to use it: beam of something (The news offered a beam of hope.)

Similar words: glimmer, ray

Common phrases: beam of hope, beam of comfort

To smile widely because you feel very happy.

• She beamed at me.
• The parents were beaming with pride.
• He beamed when he saw his birthday cake.

How to use it: beam at someone (She beamed at her daughter.); beam with something (He beamed with delight at the news.)

Similar words: smile, grin

Opposites: frown

Common phrases: beam with pride, beam at someone

To send a signal, picture, or program through the air to another place.

• They beamed the match around the world.
• The satellite beams signals to remote villages.
• Live pictures were beamed from the scene.

How to use it: beam something to someone/something (The satellite beams images to researchers on Earth.); beam something from somewhere (They beamed the concert from London.)

Similar words: transmit, broadcast, send

Common phrases: beam a signal, beam something to someone

To send out bright light.

• The sun beamed overhead.
• Bright light beamed through the curtains.
• The lamps were beaming into the darkness.

How to use it: beam through something (Sunlight beamed through the open window.)

Similar words: shine, radiate

Common phrases: beam brightly, beam through something

To send information wirelessly, or transport people or objects instantly in science fiction.

• Beam the crew aboard.
• The device beams data across the room.
• They were beamed down to the planet.

How to use it: beam someone up (The spaceship beamed the explorers up.); beam something to someone/something (She beamed the file to another device.)

Similar words: transmit, teleport

Common phrases: beam someone up, beam something across, beam something to someone