off beamadv.adj.
/ɒfˈbiːm/, U.S. /ˈɔfˈbim/, /ˈɑfˈbim/ Chiefly colloquial.
A. adv.
On the wrong track or course, out of line. Now chiefly figurative.Originally with reference to a pilot, etc., being off the course indicated by a radio beam: see beam n.1 24c.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > lack of truth, falsity > [adverb] > in a wrong way, amiss
on missc1225
overthwarta1382
a-crookc1500
awrya1513
wide?1529
astray1535
across1559
bias1600
outa1641
beside the bridge1652
on the wrong side of the post1728
abroad1806
off1843
way off1882
off beam1941
up the boohai?1946
1941 Canad. Jrnl. Econ. & Polit. Sci. 7 15 Along this line the two signals merge so as to produce a steady drone which when picked up by the plane indicates ‘on-beam’: either signal heard individually shows off-beam and in which direction.
1946 J. Snow in J. T. Salter Public Men vii. 112 Not even the major political upheaval in his own state twenty-four hours earlier could throw him off beam.
1960 Spectator 20 May 729 My thinking, which was quite off-beam, convinced me at that time that the man was a charlatan.
1973 Guardian 15 Feb. 14/4 Mr. Patrick is far from off~beam in tracing connections between environment and the behaviour he describes.
1977 Time Out 17 June 10/3 ‘A Question of Ulster’ was not only way off beam for explanation, it was also five years ago.
1992 Down East Feb. 15/1 Tundra swans are not indigenous to Maine, and only once in a blue moon do they fly over the state while migrating south, usually because a gale-force wind has driven them off beam.
B. adj. (attributive).
Wrong, mistaken.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > lack of truth, falsity > [adjective] > amiss, out of order
amissc1325
out of harrea1327
wronga1425
wide1545
misplaced1563
awrya1586
ajar1807
off the rails1848
agley1882
blooey1920
off-centre1930
off base1940
snafued1944
off target1954
off beam1958
1958 Woman 20 Sept. 4/4 Funny how we all get off-beam ideas of each other, isn't it?
1994 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 14 July 38/4 He raises many good questions, but answers them in a weirdly offbeam way.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.adj.1941