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Beam vs Truss - What's the difference?

beam | truss |

In nautical terms the difference between beam and truss

is that beam is the maximum width of a vessel while truss is the rope or iron used to keep the centre of a yard to the mast.

In transitive terms the difference between beam and truss

is that beam is to furnish or supply with beams; give the appearance of beams to while truss is to support.

As nouns the difference between beam and truss

is that beam is any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to its thickness, and prepared for use while truss is a bandage and belt used to hold a hernia in place.

As verbs the difference between beam and truss

is that beam is to emit beams of light; shine; radiate while truss is to tie up a bird before cooking it.

beam

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to its thickness, and prepared for use.
  • One of the principal horizontal timbers of a building; one of the transverse members of a ship's frame on which the decks are laid - supported at the sides by knees in wooden ships and by stringers in steel ones.
  • (nautical) The maximum width of a vessel
    • This ship has more beam than that one.
  • The crossbar of a mechanical balance, from the ends of which the scales are suspended.
  • *(rfdate) (Alexander Pope)
    • The doubtful beam long nods from side to side.
  • The principal stem of the antler of a deer.
  • (literary) The pole of a carriage.(rfc-sense)
  • *
  • (textiles) A cylinder of wood, making part of a loom, on which weavers wind the warp before weaving and the cylinder on which the cloth is rolled, as it is woven.
  • The straight part or shank of an anchor.
  • The central bar 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.
  • In steam engines, 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.
  • A ray or collection of approximatelyly parallel rays emitted from the sun or other luminous body
    • a beam of light
    a beam of energy
  • * (rfdate) Shakespeare
    • How far that little candle throws his beams !
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011
    • , date=September 22 , author=Nick Collins , title=Speed of light 'broken' by scientists , work=Daily Telegraph citation , page= , passage=A total of 15,000 beams of neutrinos were fired over a period of 3 years from CERN towards Gran Sassoin Italy, 730km (500 miles) away, where they were picked up by giant detectors. }}
  • (figuratively) A ray; a gleam
    • a beam of hope, or of comfort
  • * (rfdate) Keble
    • Mercy with her genial beam .
  • One of the long feathers in the wing of a hawk.
  • (music) A horizontal bar which connects the stems of two or more notes to group them and to indicate metric value.
  • An elevated rectangular dirt pile used to cheaply build an elevated portion of a railway.

    • Synonyms

    * (nautical) breadth * (heavy iron lever) working beam, walking beam * (sense, hawk's feather) beam feather * see also

    Hyponyms

    * (textiles) fore beam, back beam

    Derived terms

    (Derived terms) * abeam * balance beam * beam reach * beam splitter * beam-ends * beamer * beamish * beamline * beamy * bond beam * crossbeam * moonbeam * sunbeam * broad across the beam * broad in the beam * chemical beam epitaxy * high-beam * laser beam * molecular beam epitaxy * particle beam * tractor beam

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (ambitransitive) To emit beams of light; shine; radiate.
    • to beam forth light
  • (figuratively) To smile broadly or especially cheerfully.
  • To furnish or supply with beams; give the appearance of beams to.
  • (science fiction) To transmit matter or information via a high-tech wireless mechanism.
    • Beam me up, Scotty; there's no intelligent life down here.
  • (currying) To stretch on a beam, as a hide.
  • (weaving) To put on a beam, as a chain or web.
  • (music) To connect (musical notes) with a beam, or thick line, in music notation.

    • Anagrams

    * ----

    truss

    English

    (wikipedia truss)

    Noun

    (trusses)
  • A bandage and belt used to hold a hernia in place.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=2008 , author=Lippincott Williams & Wilkins , title=Professional Guide to Diseases , chapter=4 , isbn=0781778999 , page=280 , passage=A truss may keep the abdominal contents from protruding into the hernial sac; however, this won't cure the hernia.}}
  • (architecture) A structure made up of one or more triangular units made from straight beams of wood or metal, which is used to support a structure as in a roof or bridge.
  • (architecture) A triangular bracket.
  • An old English farming measurement. One truss of straw equalled 36 pounds, a truss of old hay equalled 56 pounds, a truss of new hay equalled 60 pounds, and 36 trusses equalled one load.
  • (obsolete) A bundle; a package.
  • * Spenser
    • bearing a truss of trifles at his back
  • (historical) A padded jacket or dress worn under armour, to protect the body from the effects of friction.
  • * Drayton
    • Puts off his palmer's weed unto his truss , which bore / The stains of ancient arms.
  • (historical) Part of a woman's dress; a stomacher.
  • (botany) A tuft of flowers formed at the top of the main stem of certain plants.
  • (nautical) The rope or iron used to keep the centre of a yard to the mast.

    • Verb

    (es)
  • To tie up a bird before cooking it.
  • To secure or bind with ropes.
  • To support.
  • To take fast hold of; to seize and hold firmly; to pounce upon.
  • * Spenser
    • who trussing me as eagle doth his prey
  • To strengthen or stiffen, as a beam or girder, by means of a brace or braces.
  • (slang, archaic) To execute by hanging; to hang; usually with up .
    • (Sir Walter Scott)

    Anagrams

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