Definition of "beak" in English

noun

1. A rigid structure projecting from the front of a bird's face, used for pecking, grooming, foraging, carrying items, eating food, etc.

2. A similar pointed structure forming the nose and mouth of various animals, such as turtles, platypuses, whales, etc.

3. The long projecting sucking mouth of some insects and other invertebrates, as in the Hemiptera.

4. The upper or projecting part of the shell, near the hinge of a bivalve.

5. The prolongation of certain univalve shells containing the canal.

6. Any process somewhat like the beak of a bird, terminating the fruit or other parts of a plant.

7. Anything projecting or ending in a point like a beak, such as a promontory of land.

8. A continuous slight projection ending in an arris or narrow fillet; that part of a drip from which the water is thrown off.

9. A toe clip.

10. That part of a ship, before the forecastle, which is fastened to the stem, and supported by the main knee.

    • Holonyms: bow, stem, forestem, prow, prore < ship < vessel

11. A beam, shod or armed at the end with a metal head or point, and projecting from the prow of an ancient galley, used as a ram to pierce the vessel of an enemy.

    • Holonyms: bow, stem, forestem, prow, prore < ship < vessel

12. Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genus Libythea, notable for the beak-like elongation on their heads.

13. A person's nose, especially one that is large and pointed.

14. A person's mouth.

    • Shut your beak!

15. Cocaine.

verb

1. (transitive) To strike with the beak.

2. (transitive) To seize with the beak.

3. (intransitive, Northern Ireland) To play truant.

noun

1. (slang, British) A justice of the peace; a magistrate.

2. (slang, British public schools) A schoolmaster (originally, at Eton).

   • It’s easy enough to be a beak when you’re young and athletic, and can offer the latest University smattering. The difficulty is to keep your place when you get old and stiff, and younger smatterers are pushing up behind you. Crawl into a boarding-house and you’re safe. A master’s life is frightfully tragic.