Adjacent Words

Beacon definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

BE'ACON, n. beekn.
1. A signal erected on a long pole, upon an eminence, consisting of a pitch barrel, or some combustible matter, to be fired at night, or to cause a smoke by day, to notify the approach of an enemy.
2. A light-house; a house erected on a point on land, or other place on the sea-coast, with lamps which burn at night, to direct navigators, and preserve vessels from running upon rocks, sand banks, or the shore. In general, a beacon may be any light or mark intended for direction and security against danger.
3. Figuratively, that which gives notice of danger.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a fire (usually on a hill or tower) that can be seen from a distance [syn: beacon, beacon fire]
2: a radio station that broadcasts a directional signal for navigational purposes [syn: radio beacon, beacon]
3: a tower with a light that gives warning of shoals to passing ships [syn: beacon, lighthouse, beacon light, pharos] v
1: shine like a beacon
2: guide with a beacon

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English beken, from Old English b?acen sign; akin to Old High German bouhhan sign Date: 14th century 1. a signal fire commonly on a hill, tower, or pole 2. a. a lighthouse or other signal for guidance b. a radio transmitter emitting signals for guidance of aircraft 3. a source of light or inspiration II. verb Date: 1650 intransitive verb to shine as a beacon transitive verb to furnish with a beacon

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a a fire or light set up in a high or prominent position as a warning etc. b Brit. (now often in place-names) a hill suitable for this. 2 a visible warning or guiding point or device (e.g. a lighthouse, navigation buoy, etc.). 3 a radio transmitter whose signal helps fix the position of a ship or aircraft. 4 Brit. = BELISHA BEACON. Etymology: OE beacn f. WG

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Beacon Bea"con, n. [OE. bekene, AS. be['a]cen, b?cen; akin to OS. b?kan, Fries. baken, beken, sign, signal, D. baak, OHG. bouhhan, G. bake; of unknown origin. Cf. Beckon.] 1. A signal fire to notify of the approach of an enemy, or to give any notice, commonly of warning. No flaming beacons cast their blaze afar. --Gay. 2. A signal or conspicuous mark erected on an eminence near the shore, or moored in shoal water, as a guide to mariners. 3. A high hill near the shore. [Prov. Eng.] 4. That which gives notice of danger. Modest doubt is called The beacon of the wise. --Shak. Beacon fire, a signal fire.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Beacon Bea"con, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Beaconed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beaconing.] 1. To give light to, as a beacon; to light up; to illumine. That beacons the darkness of heaven. --Campbell. 2. To furnish with a beacon or beacons.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(beacons) 1. A beacon is a light or a fire, usually on a hill or tower, which acts as a signal or a warning. N-COUNT 2. If someone acts as a beacon to other people, they inspire or encourage them. Our Parliament has been a beacon of hope to the peoples of Europe... General Rudnicki was a moral beacon for many exiled Poles. N-COUNT: usu N to/of/for n

Easton's Bible Dictionary

a pole (Heb. to'ren) used as a standard or ensign set on the tops of mountains as a call to the people to assemble themselves for some great national purpose (Isa. 30:17). In Isa. 33:23 and Ezek. 27:5, the same word is rendered "mast." (See Banner.)

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be'-k'-n. The translation of the Hebrew toren, which usually means "mast" (compare Isa 33:23; Eze 27:5), but in Isa 30:17 being used in parallelism with "ensign" the meaning may be "signal-staff" (Isa 30:17 the American Revised Version, margin "pole").

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Signal-fire. 2. Mark, sign, signal. II. v. a. Illumine, light, illuminate, enlighten, guide, signal. III. v. n. Give light, signal, shine, gleam, brighten, flame.

Moby Thesaurus

AM transmitter, FM transmitter, Klaxon, Mayday, RT transmitter, Roman candle, SOS, Texas tower, Very flare, aid to navigation, air-raid alarm, airport beacon, airway beacon, alarm, alarm bell, alarm clock, alarm signal, alarum, alert, all clear, amateur transmitter, amber light, anchor light, approach light, backfire, balefire, beacon fire, beacons, beam, bell, bell buoy, belvedere, blaze, bleachers, blinker, blinker light, blinking light, blue peter, bonfire, bridge, buoy, burglar alarm, burning ghat, buzzer, campfire, caution light, ceiling light, cheerful fire, combustion, conflagration, conning tower, corposant, cozy fire, crackling fire, crematory, crostarie, death fire, fan marker, fen fire, fiery cross, fire, fire alarm, fire bell, fire flag, five-minute gun, flame, flare, flare path, flare-up, flashing light, flashing point, flicker, flickering flame, fog bell, fog signal, fog whistle, foghorn, forest fire, fox fire, funeral pyre, fusee, gale warning, gallery, gazebo, glance, go light, gong buoy, grandstand, green light, heliograph, high sign, hooter, horn, hue and cry, hurricane warning, ignis fatuus, ignition, ingle, international alphabet flag, international numeral pennant, kick, lambent flame, leer, light, lighthouse, lightship, lookout, loophole, magnesium flare, marker, marker beacon, marshfire, microphone, navigation light, nod, note of alarm, nudge, observation post, observatory, occulting light, open fire, outlook, overlook, parachute flare, peanut gallery, peephole, pharos, pilot flag, poke, police whistle, prairie fire, pylon, pyre, quarantine flag, racon, radar beacon, radiator, radio beacon, radio range beacon, radio transmitter, radiomicrophone, radiosonde, raging fire, red flag, red light, ringside, ringside seat, rocket, sailing aid, sea of flames, semaphore, semaphore flag, semaphore telegraph, sheet of fire, sighthole, sign, signal, signal beacon, signal bell, signal fire, signal flag, signal flare, signal gong, signal gun, signal lamp, signal light, signal mast, signal of distress, signal post, signal rocket, signal shot, signal siren, signal tower, siren, skyrocket, small-craft warning, smudge fire, spar buoy, still alarm, stop light, storm cone, storm flag, storm warning, the nod, the wink, three-alarm fire, tocsin, top gallery, touch, tower, traffic light, traffic signal, transceiver, transmitter, two-alarm fire, two-minute gun, upside-down flag, watch fire, watchtower, whistle, white flag, wigwag, wigwag flag, wildfire, wind cone, wind indicator, wind sock, wink, witch fire, yellow flag