beam compass: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

No. A standard compass is a small, hinged tool for drawing small to medium circles. A beam compass has a long, rigid beam (like a ruler) to hold points far apart, enabling it to draw very large circles or arcs with high precision.

Historically and in some traditional settings: naval architects (lofting ship hulls), mechanical engineers (creating large templates), civil engineers (site plans), and architects (full-scale drawings). Its use has declined with the advent of computer-aided design (CAD).

Typically, it consists of a long, straight beam (often a metal or wooden bar), a fixed point or 'center' at one end (or a cursor that slides along the beam), and a marking point (pencil, scribe, or pen) on another sliding cursor. The distance between the points sets the radius.

Very rarely. In highly specialised technical writing, it might be used metaphorically to describe a system or method that provides guiding principles over a broad scope (e.g., 'the treaty acted as a beam compass for international relations'). This is not common usage.

A technical drawing instrument consisting of a rigid beam with adjustable cursors or points, used for drawing large circles or arcs beyond the capacity of a standard compass.

Beam compass is usually technical, specialised in register.

Beam compass: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbiːm ˌkʌm.pəs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbiːm ˌkʌm.pəs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.