beak

[ beek ]

noun

1. the bill of a bird; neb.
2. any similar horny mouthpart in other animals, as the turtle or duckbill.
3. anything beaklike or ending in a point, as the spout of a pitcher.
4. Slang. a person's nose.
5. Entomology. proboscis ( def 3 ).
6. Botany. a narrowed or prolonged tip.
7. Nautical. (formerly) a metal or metal-sheathed projection from the bow of a warship, used to ram enemy vessels; ram; rostrum.
8. Typography. a serif on the arm of a character, as of a K.
9. Also called bird's beak. Architecture. a pendant molding forming a drip, as on the soffit of a cornice.
10. Chiefly British Slang.
    1. a judge; magistrate.
    2. a schoolmaster.

beak

¹

/ biːk /

noun

1. a Brit slang word for judge magistrate headmaster schoolmaster

beak

²

/ biːkt; biːk /

noun

1. the projecting jaws of a bird, covered with a horny sheath; bill
2. any beaklike mouthpart in other animals, such as turtles
3. slang.
   a person's nose, esp one that is large, pointed, or hooked
4. any projecting part, such as the pouring lip of a bucket
5. architect the upper surface of a cornice, which slopes out to throw off water
6. chem the part of a still or retort through which vapour passes to the condenser
7. nautical another word for ram

Derived Forms

• ˈbeakˌlike, adjective
• ˈbeaky, adjective
• beaked, adjective
• ˈbeakless, adjective

Other Words From

• beaked [beekt, bee, -kid], adjective
• beakless adjective
• beaklike adjective
• beaky adjective
• under·beak noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of beak¹

1175–1225; Middle English bec < Old French < Latin beccus < Gaulish

Word History and Origins

Origin of beak¹

C19: originally thieves' jargon

Origin of beak²

C13: from Old French bec , from Latin beccus , of Gaulish origin

Example Sentences

But a northern population of beaked hazelnuts revealed something surprising: five distinct genetic subgroups, four of which could be traced to far-flung locations across British Columbia, some 800 kilometers away.

From Science Magazine

Dave Schofield, who wore the Eagle beak on his nose outside Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, said he is anxious that Trump is blowing the election because “he can’t keep his mouth shut.”

From Los Angeles Times

“Look at the ravens. Their beaks are open.”

From Los Angeles Times

"A curlew," he says, and I just glimpse its long curved beak as we pass.

From BBC

Once he is outside the shop on Portland Road he uses his beak to open the packet and then eats the crisps in the streets alongside his feathered friends.

From BBC

Related Words

• snout