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.

Noun

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