beam, v.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

beam v.¹

also beam on

[obs. SE beam, to shed light upon]

(US black)

1. to look at, to stare.

1977

E. Torres Q&A 191: When Guido beams on you, your balls gonna turn into grapefruit pits and you gonna get lockjaw of the elbow.

2. in fig. use, to ascertain what is happening.

1944

in ‘Jiver’s Bible’ in D. Burley Orig. Hbk of Harlem Jive.

beam out (v.)

(US campus) to daydream [i.e. to stare into the middle distance].

1984		Eble Campus Sl. Sept. 1: beam out – daydream: Oh, I’m sorry – I was beaming out for a minute and didn’t hear what you said.
1996		Eble Sl. and Sociability 30: In college slang out is the most productive particle: beam out ‘daydream’.