a. Forms: 4 bemy, 6–7 beamie, 6– beamy. [f. BEAM sb.1 + -Y1.]
1. Emitting beams of light, radiant; also fig.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VIII. ii. (1495), 299. Eueryche rounde body and holowe and bryghte in eueryche poynt therof sendith a bemy lyne in to the mydle of that bryghte body.
1582. Bentley, Mon. Matrones, 104. The beamie Sun large light doth giue.
1641. Milton, Animadv., Wks. (1851), 221. Thy beamy walke through the midst of thy Sanctuary.
1799. Southey, Love Eleg., iii. II. 125. The straitening curls of gold so beamy bright.
1813. Shelley, Q. Mab, ix. (1853), 49. Bending her beamy eyes in thankfulness.
† b. transf. Radiated, umbellate. Obs. rare.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 79 b. The wilde carot hathe … a spoky or beamy top lyke vnto dill.
2. Massive as a (weaver’s) beam; cf. BEAM sb.1 4.
1698. Dryden, Æneid, XII. 64. The beamy weapon quakes.
1718. Pope, Iliad, III. 180. In single fight to toss the beamy lance.
1809. Heber, Palestine, 351. Lords of the biting axe and beamy spear. [Cf. 1 Sam. xvii. 7.]
3. Possessing full-grown horns; antlered.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 625. Thou mayst … beamy Stags in Toils engagę.
1735. Somerville, Chase, III. 407. The Royal Stag … tosses high his beamy Head.
4. Of a ship: Broad in the beam; cf. BEAM sb.1 16.
1882. S. G. W. Benjamin, in Century Mag., XXIV. 671/2. The speed of beamy vessels has too often been demonstrated.
1883. G. Davies, Norfolk Roads & Riv., vi. 42. The yachts used on Hickling were beamy shallow boats.
