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# sunbeam

noun (a sunbeam, sunbeams)

«sunbeam» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A sunbeam is a ray or narrow beam of sunlight, especially one you can see shining through a gap, a window or clouds. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sunbeam/#m1)
2. (informal, UK) «Ray of sunshine» or «sunbeam» can be a fond name for a cheerful child. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sunbeam/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science lessons sunbeams show that light travels in straight lines; you can see the beam because dust or water droplets scatter the light. In stories sunbeams make scenes warm and hopeful. Phrases: «a sunbeam through the window», «dust dancing in a sunbeam».

### Examples

- The cat lay asleep in a warm sunbeam. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sunbeam/#x1)
- Dust danced in the sunbeam from the window. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sunbeam/#x2)
- Sunbeams broke through the clouds after the storm. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sunbeam/#x3)
- A sunbeam shows that light travels in straight lines. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sunbeam/#x4)
- We could see sunbeams shining down through the forest trees. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sunbeam/#x5)
- «Morning, sunbeam!» said Nan when I came down to breakfast. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sunbeam/#x6)

### Note

Countable: a sunbeam, sunbeams. One word. You see a beam only when tiny bits in the air, like dust or mist, scatter the light into your eyes. Never look straight at the sun.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «sunbeam» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sunbeam/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«sunbeam» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sunbeam.html) on Mova free.