on the beam

on the beam
1. mod. homing in on an aviation radio beam. (No longer a major navigational device.)
The plane was on the beam and landed safely in the fog.
I couldn’t get on the beam, and I flew right over the airfield.
2. mod. on the right course or track. (From sense 1.)
That is exactly right. You are right on the beam.
You’re on the beam. You will finish this with no problems.
3. AND beaming mod. under the effects of marijuana. (Drugs.)
Walter is on the beam again. How can he hold a job?
The only time that Bart is happy is when he is beaming.
4. mod. smart; clever.
That was well done, Tom. You’re on the beam.
She is really on the beam. Glad she came along.

Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions. 2015.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • The Mote and the Beam — A c. 1619 painting by Domenico Fetti entitled The Parable of the Mote and the Beam. The Mote and the Beam (also called discourse on judgmentalism) is a New Testament saying in …   Wikipedia

  • Abaft the beam — Beam Beam (b[=e]m), n. [AS. be[ a]m beam, post, tree, ray of light; akin to OFries. b[=a]m tree, OS. b[=o]m, D. boom, OHG. boum, poum, G. baum, Icel. ba[eth]mr, Goth. bagms and Gr. fy^ma a growth, fy^nai to become, to be. Cf. L. radius staff, rod …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Before the beam — Beam Beam (b[=e]m), n. [AS. be[ a]m beam, post, tree, ray of light; akin to OFries. b[=a]m tree, OS. b[=o]m, D. boom, OHG. boum, poum, G. baum, Icel. ba[eth]mr, Goth. bagms and Gr. fy^ma a growth, fy^nai to become, to be. Cf. L. radius staff, rod …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • On the beam — Beam Beam (b[=e]m), n. [AS. be[ a]m beam, post, tree, ray of light; akin to OFries. b[=a]m tree, OS. b[=o]m, D. boom, OHG. boum, poum, G. baum, Icel. ba[eth]mr, Goth. bagms and Gr. fy^ma a growth, fy^nai to become, to be. Cf. L. radius staff, rod …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • on the beam — {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. (Of an airplane) In the radio beam that marks the path to follow between airports; flying in the right direction. * /A radio signal tells the pilot of an airplane when he is flying on the beam./ 2. {slang} Doing well;… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • on the beam — {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. (Of an airplane) In the radio beam that marks the path to follow between airports; flying in the right direction. * /A radio signal tells the pilot of an airplane when he is flying on the beam./ 2. {slang} Doing well;… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • off the beam — {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. (Of an airplane) Not in the radio beam that marks the path to follow between airports; flying in the wrong direction. * /A radio signal tells the pilot of an airplane when his plane is off the beam./ 2. {slang} Wrong;… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • off the beam — {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. (Of an airplane) Not in the radio beam that marks the path to follow between airports; flying in the wrong direction. * /A radio signal tells the pilot of an airplane when his plane is off the beam./ 2. {slang} Wrong;… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • off\ the\ beam — adv or adj. phr. 1. (Of an airplane) Not in the radio beam that marks the path to follow between airports; flying in the wrong direction. A radio signal tells the pilot of an airplane when his plane is off the beam. 2. slang Wrong; mistaken. Maud …   Словарь американских идиом

  • on\ the\ beam — adv or adj. phr. 1. (Of an airplane) In the radio beam that marks the path to follow between airports; flying in the right direction. A radio signal tells the pilot of an airplane when he is flying on the beam. 2. slang Doing well; just right;… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • Abaft the beam — Abaft A*baft ([.a]*b[.a]ft ), prep. [Pref. a on + OE. baft, baften, biaften, AS. be[ae]ftan; be by + [ae]ftan behind. See {After}, {Aft}, {By}.] (Naut.) Behind; toward the stern from; as, abaft the wheelhouse. [1913 Webster] {Abaft the beam}. See …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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