off the beam

Off course, on the wrong track, as in He's way off the beam with that argument. This colloquial term and its antonym, on the beam, meaning "on the right track," allude to directing aircraft by means of radio beams. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]

See also: beam, off

References in periodicals archive ?

There were a few small hiccups along the way for the Brits wi th Becky Downie suffering a fall during her uneven bars routine and Claudia Fragapane coming off the beam.

Tinkler's on top of world in Glasgow; GYMNASTICS

Fragapane came off the beam to slightly dent her medal bid, scoring 12.

Whelan takes bronze at the Hydro

He began his performance impressively, but slipped off the beam and could garner only 14.

Merdinyan wins after Berki falters; Iordache takes vault

Biles, however, fell off the beam while performing the last of three moves in a tumbling series and finished seventh (13.

Giant leap; Ohashi, Biles 1-2 in senior debuts

The ability to accelerate both beam shaping and beam delivery with Agility and VMAT cut 57 seconds off the beam delivery time of the first patient, a 61-year-old male with prostate cancer.

U.K. Center Combines Elekta's Agility Beam-shaping Solution with Fast VMAT Delivery to Significantly Cut Cancer Patients' Radiotherapy Treatment Time

I've heard that people do that which is why I have started hanging off the beam in the garage by my feet to keep my body at full stretch.

Short story turns into a tall tale

In 10 previous practice trials with no medication, none of the 25 participants stepped off the beam, indicating no loss of balance.

Common sleep medicine puts older adults at risk for nighttime falls

Nugent said that feat simulated a safety feature of the laser's "machine-vision" tracking system, which is designed to shut off the beam if something wanders too close to its path.

Beam me up some power

TIGHT LIPPED: Business Secretary Vince Cable, right, looks on as another piece of steel comes off the beam mill Pictures by IAN McINTYRE

Cable is under fire after Corus visit

She placed seventh overall, narrowly missing out on an all-round medal due to a fall off the beam.

Barry YMCA gymnasts jumping for joy in Welsh Novice; GYMNASTICS

Violent wind and rain blew the plane off the beam and the pilot could not find it again.

COMIC STRIP SUPER AERO; Anne gets Boy's Own treatment

A slip on the uneven bars saw her lose valuable points on her strongest apparatus and she then twice fell off the beam as it proved her downfall once again after also costing her in Wednesday's qualifying.

Smith's hopes left in tatters

WHEN I first read this script I thought it was a bit off the beam.

We've been in weird places with wacky bodies. The macabre just seems to work; EXCLUSIVE Blythe Duff on 25 years of Taggart

Having tasted success at national, European and world level, Tweddle would love to complete the set in Beijing after the disappointment of Athens four years ago where she fell off the beam and missed out on the final of the asymmetric bars.

Gymnastics: Tweddle upbeat over fitness prospects; OLYMPIC GAMES

THE Observer's Tattenham Corner is usually one of the more readable racing diary columns, but last week's lead item, which pointed to ``dark rumours'' of a row between the Racing Postand the Tote, was definitely off the beam, if not round the bend.