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Spanner vs Beam - What's the difference?

spanner | beam |

As nouns the difference between spanner and beam

is that spanner is (spann) while beam is any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to its thickness, and prepared for use.

As verbs the difference between spanner and beam

is that spanner is while beam is (ambitransitive) to emit beams of light; shine; radiate.

spanner

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (Australian, NZ, British, Irish) A hand tool for adjusting nuts and bolts.
    • Pass me that spanner , Jake; there's just one more nut to screw in.
  • (rare) One who, or that which, spans.
  • * 1915 , Florence Kiper Frank, The Jew to Jesus: and other poems
    • The scheme of the spanner of continents and the desire of the little husbandman hoarding for his loved ones...
  • (weaponry) A hand tool shaped like a small crank handle, for winding the spring of a wheel lock on a musket.
  • :* 1786 , Fig. 10. The spanner for spanning or winding up the spring of the wheel lock. — Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons , page xvi.
  • (obsolete) A device in early steam engines for moving the valves for the alternate admission and shutting off of the steam.
  • (UK) A problem, dilemma or obstacle; something unexpected or troublesome (in the phrase spanner in the works )
    • Halfway through the production of Macbeth, the director found that the stage was smaller than he expected. This really threw a spanner in the works.
  • (British, Irish, mildly, derogatory) A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language.
    • You spanner , Rodney! I wanted a Chinese, not an Indian!

    Synonyms

    * (hand tool for nuts and bolts) wrench (US)

    Related terms

    * adjustable spanner * ring spanner * spanner barb * throw a spanner in the works

    Descendants

    * Malay: (l)

    Anagrams

    *

    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

    * ----