beacon

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A signaling or guiding device, such as a lighthouse, located on a coast.
2. n. A radio transmitter that emits a characteristic guidance signal for aircraft.
3. n. A source of guidance or inspiration.
4. n. A signal fire, especially one used to warn of an enemy's approach.
5. v. To provide with or shine as a beacon.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A guiding or warning signal; anything fixed or set up as a token; especially, a signal-fire, either in a cresset and placed on a pole, or lighted on a tower or an eminence. Such beacons were formerly much used to signal the approach of an enemy or to spread a call or warning for any purpose, a chain of them often conveying intelligence to great distances.
2. n. A tower or hill formerly used for such purposes. Various hills in England and the older parts oi the United States have the name of Beacon, from the fact that signal-fires were formerly lighted on them.
3. n. A lighthouse or other object placed conspicuously on a coast, or over a rock or shoal at sea, to give notice of danger, or for the guidance of vessels.
4. n. A painted staff about 9 feet long, carrying a small square flag at the top, used in camps to indicate an angle of the quarters assigned to a regiment or company.
5. n. In England, formerly, a division of a wapentake; probably a district throughout which a beacon could be seen, or which was bound to furnish one.
6. To illumine or light up as a beacon.
7. To afford light or aid to; lead; guide as a beacon.
8. To furnish or mark with beacons: as, to beacon a coast or a boundary: sometimes with off.
9. To use as a beacon; make a beacon of.
10. To serve or shine as a beacon.

Wiktionary

1. n. A signal fire to notify of the approach of an enemy, or to give any notice, commonly of warning or guiding.
2. n. nautical A signal or conspicuous mark erected on an eminence near the shore, or moored in shoal water, as a guide to mariners.
3. n. A high hill or other easily distinguishable object near the shore which can serve as guidance for seafarers.
4. n. That which gives notice of danger.
5. v. To act as a beacon.
6. v. To give light to, as a beacon; to light up; to illumine.
7. v. To furnish with a beacon or beacons.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A signal fire to notify of the approach of an enemy, or to give any notice, commonly of warning.
2. n. A signal, such as that from a lighthouse, or a conspicuous mark erected on an eminence near the shore, or moored in shoal water, as a guide to mariners.
3. n. Prov. Eng. A high hill near the shore.
4. n. That which gives notice of danger.
5. n. (Navigation) a radio transmitter which emits a characteristic signal indication its location, so that vehicles may determine their exact location by locating the beacon with a radio compass; -- also called radio beacon.
6. n. that which provides guidance or inspiration.
7. v. To give light to, as a beacon; to light up; to illumine.
8. v. To furnish with a beacon or beacons.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. shine like a beacon
2. n. a fire (usually on a hill or tower) that can be seen from a distance
3. v. guide with a beacon
4. n. a radio station that broadcasts a directional signal for navigational purposes
5. n. a tower with a light that gives warning of shoals to passing ships