Make Your Point > Archived Issues > BEAMISH

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pronounce BEAMISH: Say it "BEEM ish." To hear it, click here. connect this word to others: The lovely word beamish is an example of a n__ce word: one that was invented and used right on the spot. Maybe more than once, by more than one person, as we'll see in a moment. If you think about that for too long, you might come to the conclusion that all words, ever, began as n__ce words. So maybe n__city is a matter of degree? (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) definition: One meaning of "beam" is "a ray of light." And if you're beaming, you're shining with pride or happiness, as if you're lit from within. So, something beamish reminds you of a ray of light, or a proud or happy face. In other words, to be beamish is to be bright and shiny, as if filled with pride or happiness. A version of this word first appeared in a 1530 text by John Palsgrave, who described something as "Beamysshe as the sonne is." But most of us associate this word with Lewis Carroll's 1871 novel Through the Looking-Glass, specifically the poem "Jabberwocky," as the father is beaming with pride and happiness to see that his son has killed the monster: "'And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?       Come to my arms, my beamish boy!'" That same poem is filled with whimsical words that were definitely invented by Carroll, including "gyre," "tulgey," "chortle," and "galumph." So, even though he wasn't the first to use "beamish," we still think of him and his delightfully inventive poem when we use the word. grammatical bits: Part of speech: Adjective: "a beamish smile." Other forms:  None. But if you need a more normal, common adjective, just use "beaming." Here's Jerry Spinelli: "A beaming Mr. Cobble handed up a certificate to Maniac for the year's worth of large pizzas." It's worth noting that over in Europe, "Beamish" is also a place name, and a last name. As best I can tell, this name traces back to Latin bits meaning "beautiful dwelling" and is unrelated to our adjective "beamish." how to use it: "Beamish" is rare. It has a literary flavor, a very positive tone, and a meaning that's readily apparent even if your listeners haven't heard it before. So although dictionaries might label it "archaic" (old-fashioned, no longer in use), it's still a wonderful choice for calling special emphasis to how happy, proud, or hopeful someone seems. You might talk about a beamish person, a beamish smile, or a beamish mood or personality. examples: Taylor took off down the hall in her baby walker, beamish, babbling in triumph. "[Clara] resumed her seat and submitted with beamish grace to praise."    — Booth Tarkington, Penrod and Sam, 1916 has this page helped you understand "beamish"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study it: Explain the meaning of "beamish" without saying "radiant" or "luminous."  try it out: Think of something that puts you in a sunny, hopeful, lighthearted mood. Fill in the blank: "I can't hold back a beamish smile when _____." Example: "I can't hold back a beamish smile when my daughter invents her own words." If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) before you review, play: Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out. Our game this month is "Codenames MYP." You can play it with a partner or by yourself. It's loosely based on the fantastic game Codenames Duet.   Check out the words in the grid. Ignore the colors; they're just the ones I had on hand.  If you’re playing with a partner, pick any 2 or 3 terms from the grid, and give your partner a one-word clue to help them guess your terms--without stumbling onto any that you didn't pick. Your partner can do the same for you. No hints! Just say your clue word and the number of terms it should point toward. If you're playing solo, try to guess 2 terms in the grid by using this clue: "spiral." To see these answers, scroll all the way down. If you need any definitions, give these a click:       panopticon, anthology, bootstrap,      cavalcade, patina, rivulet,      whirligig, capstone, tailspin. review this word: 1. Opposites of BEAMISH include A. DIM, GLOOMY, and DISMAL. B. ROUND, PORTLY, and ROTUND. C. STAID, RESTRAINED, and POLITE. 2. Rudyard Kipling, probably in a silly mood as he wrote one of his stories, made some rather direct allusions: "'Come to my arms, my beamish boy,' _____ McTurk." A. twained B. caroled C. grimmed Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. A Answers to the game question: With the clue "spiral," I was trying to point you toward whirligig and tailspin. a final word: I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog: On vocabulary...       36 ways to study words.       Why we forget words, & how to remember them.       How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. On writing...       How to improve any sentence.       How to motivate our kids to write.       How to stop procrastinating and start writing.       How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count. From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.