BEAM

(Sax. beam, a tree.) In Architecture, an horizontal piece of timber, used to resist a force or weight; as a tie beam, which acts as a string or chain by its tension; as a straining piece, where it acts by compre ion J as a bre ummer, where it bears an insisting weight. Beam. In sea phrase, the width of a ve el. Thus a wide ve el is said to have more beam than a narrow one; the beams being the strong pieces of timber stretching acro the ship from side to side, for the purpose of supporting the decks and retaining the sides at their proper distance. When a ship is lying entirely on her side, she is said to be on her beam ends. When this is the case in a hurricane or heavy gale, there is often no other resource to right the ship than cutting the masts away. A-beam. In the direction perpendicular to the ship's length, a-midships. Thus an object seen from the middle of a ve el, 90 degrees or 8 points from the head or stern, is said to be a-beam. [s. 151]