high beam

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high beam

The driver switches to high beam on the dark country road.

Definition

Noun: - The setting of a vehicle's headlights that produces a long-range, bright, and undipped beam of light: This setting is used to illuminate the road far ahead, typically on dark, unlit roads. It is distinct from the lower, shorter-range "low beam" setting.

Usage
  • Used to refer to the headlight setting itself or to the light produced by this setting.
  • Commonly used in the context of driving instructions, vehicle operation, and road safety.
Examples
  • Noun:
    • Please turn on your high beams; this country road is very dark.
    • The driver forgot to dim his high beam when another car approached.
    • Using your high beams in fog can actually reduce visibility.
Advanced Usage
  • "On high beam" / "With high beams on": Describes the state of the headlights being set to this mode.
    • He drove the entire stretch of highway on high beam.
  • "To put/switch to high beam": The action of activating this setting.
    • Remember to put your lights on high beam when leaving the city limits.
Variants and Related Words
  • High-beam headlights (noun phrase): A more descriptive term for the lights themselves when set to this mode.
  • Low beam (noun): The opposing, standard headlight setting for normal driving, which directs light downward and to the right to avoid blinding other drivers.
  • Main beam (noun, chiefly British English): A synonym for "high beam".
  • To dim (one's lights) (verb phrase): The action of switching from high beam to low beam.
Synonyms
  • Brights (noun, informal, chiefly North American): A common colloquial term for high beams.
    • She flashed her brights to signal the truck to move over.
  • Main beam (noun, UK).
Related Phrases and Idioms
  • "To be on high beam" (idiomatic, informal): Can be used metaphorically to describe someone who is very alert, intense, or operating at full capacity.
    • After two cups of coffee, my brain is on high beam.
  • "To flash one's high beams": To quickly turn the high beams on and off, usually as a signal to other drivers (e.g., to warn of police ahead or to indicate that they can merge).
    • The car behind me flashed its high beams to let me know my trunk was open.
high beam

The driver switches to high beam on the dark country road.

Noun
  1. the beam of a car's headlights that provides distant illumination