Definitions for beacon
ˈbi kənbea·con

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. beacon, beacon firenoun

   a fire (usually on a hill or tower) that can be seen from a distance

2. radio beacon, beaconnoun

   a radio station that broadcasts a directional signal for navigational purposes

3. beacon, lighthouse, beacon light, pharosverb

   a tower with a light that gives warning of shoals to passing ships

4. beaconverb

   shine like a beacon

5. beaconverb

   guide with a beacon

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. beaconnoun

   A signal fire to notify of the approach of an enemy, or to give any notice, commonly of warning or guiding.

2. beaconnoun

   A signal or conspicuous mark erected on an eminence near the shore, or moored in shoal water, as a guide to mariners.

3. beaconnoun

   A high hill or other easily distinguishable object near the shore which can serve as guidance for seafarers.

4. beaconnoun

   That which gives notice of danger.

5. beaconverb

   To act as a beacon.

6. beaconverb

   To give light to, as a beacon; to light up; to illumine.

   That beacons the darkness of heaven. uE000127693uE001 Campbell.

7. beaconverb

   To furnish with a beacon or beacons.

8. Etymology: beken, from beacen 'sign, signal', from bauknan (cf. West Frisian beaken 'buoy', Dutch baken 'beacon', Middle High German bouchen 'sign'), perhaps from bʰeh₂u-. More at fantasy.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Beaconnoun

   Etymology: beacon, Sax. from been, a signal, and becnan, whence beckon, to make a signal.

   1. Something raised on an eminence, to be fired on the approach of an enemy, to alarm the country.

   His blazing eyes, like two bright shining shields,
   Did burn with wrath, and sparkled living fire;
   As two broad beacons set in open fields,
   Send forth their flames. Fairy Queen, b. i.

   Modest doubt is called
   The beacon of the wise. William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida.

   The king seemed to account of the designs of Perkin as a may-game; yet had given order for the watching of beacons upon the coasts, and erecting more where they stood too thin. Francis Bacon, Henry VII.

   No flaming beacons cast their blaze afar,
   The dreadful signal of invasive war. John Gay, Rural Sports.

   2. Marks erected, or lights made in the night, to direct navigators in their courses, and warm them from rocks, shallows and sandbanks.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Beacon

   A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. A common example is the lighthouse, which draws attention to a fixed point that can be used to navigate around obstacles or into port. More modern examples include a variety of radio beacons that can be read on radio direction finders in all weather, and radar transponders that appear on radar displays. Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of pending weather as indicated on a weather beacon mounted at the top of a tall building or similar site. When used in such fashion, beacons can be considered a form of optical telegraphy.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Beaconnoun

   a signal fire to notify of the approach of an enemy, or to give any notice, commonly of warning

2. Beaconnoun

   a signal or conspicuous mark erected on an eminence near the shore, or moored in shoal water, as a guide to mariners

3. Beaconnoun

   a high hill near the shore

4. Beaconnoun

   that which gives notice of danger

5. Beaconverb

   to give light to, as a beacon; to light up; to illumine

6. Beaconverb

   to furnish with a beacon or beacons

FreebaseRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Beacon

   A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of pending weather as indicated on a weather beacon mounted at the top of a tall building or similar site. When used in such fashion, beacons can be considered a form of optical telegraphy.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Beacon

   bē′kn, n. a fire on an eminence used as a sign of danger: a hill on which such could be lighted: anything that warns of danger, esp. an erection of stone, wood, or iron often bearing a light, and marking rocks or shoals in rivers or navigable channels.—v.t. to act as a beacon to: to light up: to mark by means of beacons.—n. Float′ing-bea′con, a light-ship. [A.S. béacn, a beacon, a sign.]

Dictionary of Nautical TermsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. beacon

   [Anglo-Saxon, béacn.] A post or stake erected over a shoal or sand-bank, as a warning to seamen to keep at a distance; also a signal-mark placed on the top of hills, eminences, or buildings near the shore for the safe guidance of shipping.

Military Dictionary and GazetteerRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. beacon

   A signal-fire to notify the approach of an enemy.

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. beacon

   Song lyrics by beacon -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by beacon on the Lyrics.com website.

Surnames Frequency by Census RecordsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. BEACON

   According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Beacon is ranked #106096 in terms of the most common surnames in America.
   
   The Beacon surname appeared 168 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 would have the surname Beacon.
   
   79.1% or 133 total occurrences were White.
   11.9% or 20 total occurrences were Black.
   5.9% or 10 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin.

Matched Categories

1. • Guide
   • Radio Station
   • Shine

How to pronounce beacon?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say beacon in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of beacon in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of beacon in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of beacon in a Sentence

1. Joe Bellino:

   Twenty years, even 10 years ago, you couldn't win a county wide election as a Republican, we were hit hard by North American Free Trade Agreement and we felt left out. ... And President Trump, who wasn't from the swamp, President Trump offered a shiny beacon.

2. Loren Khogali:

   If and when this passes, this will serve as a model for other sort of similarly situated states across the country, it really will be a beacon in the midst of a really difficult time for reproductive rights supporters.

3. Marco Rubio:

   It is important for the United States to continue being a beacon of freedom for the Cuban people, i intend to work with my colleagues to block the administration’s efforts to pursue diplomatic relations with Cuba and name an ambassador to Havana until substantive progress is made on these important issues.

4. Victoria Spartz:

   Socialism always fails, the United States remains a beacon of hope and freedom for the world, and it is imperative that we stand with the people of Cuba in their fight against tyranny and oppression.

5. Juliana Taimoorazy:

   America was created as a land for religious freedom, and if these individuals are persecuted for their faith, we as a beacon of hope for the world should understand their pain more than anybody else.

Popularity rank by frequency of use