Dictionary

offbeam en · ADJ

Etymology

From off- + beam.

Meanings

1. Not onbeam. ▸ Not in line with excited parallel neurofibers.
   • A Diagram of neuronal circuitry and positions of extracellular microelectrodes (EME) for recording from stellate ceils ($7), intracellular microelectrodes (IME) for recording from Purkinje cells (PC), two local stimulating electrodes (LSE 1 and LSE 2) for stimulating parallel fibers (PF), offbeam and onbeam respectively. 1976 January, Naiphinich Kotchabhakdi, “Functional circuitry of the goldfish cerebellum”, in Journal of comparative physiology, volume 112, number 1:
2. Not onbeam. ▸ Not connected to a broadcast signal.
   • I took the car offbeam and turned around, gunning it back toward the city. 2003, David Brin, Kiln People, →ISBN:
   • The first category ensures that the antenna sidelobe patterns are held to close tolerances to limit offbeam power densities and that the frequencies are chosen with due regard to the positions and levels of intermodulation products. 1978, IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Group, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers., EASCON Record, page 311:
3. (alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of off-beam.
   alt of off-beam
   • We have an Italian fellow in our outfit, who fought for Mussolini in the Ethiopian war. Obviously, to anyone but the examining board, that is, he's offbeam. 1945, Terry Morris, No Hiding Place, page 145:
   • It was her only just-offbeam version of this, wasn't it, that Edith had offered him down in Ushuaia? 2005, Rosie Thomas, Sun at Midnight, →ISBN, page 462:
   • It is not that we are trying to produce something offbeam that they are not ready for. 1983, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry., Agricultural Act of 1982:

Forms