beacon

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

• n. A signaling or guiding device, such as a lighthouse, located on a coast.
• n. A radio transmitter that emits a characteristic guidance signal for aircraft.
• n. A source of guidance or inspiration.
• n. A signal fire, especially one used to warn of an enemy's approach.
• transitive v. To provide with or shine as a beacon.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

• n. A signal fire to notify of the approach of an enemy, or to give any notice, commonly of warning or guiding.
• n. A signal or conspicuous mark erected on an eminence near the shore, or moored in shoal water, as a guide to mariners.
• n. A high hill or other easily distinguishable object near the shore which can serve as guidance for seafarers.
• n. That which gives notice of danger.
• v. To act as a beacon.
• v. To give light to, as a beacon; to light up; to illumine.
• v. To furnish with a beacon or beacons.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English

• n. A signal fire to notify of the approach of an enemy, or to give any notice, commonly of warning.
• n. A signal, such as that from a lighthouse, or a conspicuous mark erected on an eminence near the shore, or moored in shoal water, as a guide to mariners.
• n. A high hill near the shore.
• n. That which gives notice of danger.
• n. a radio transmitter which emits a characteristic signal indication its location, so that vehicles may determine their exact location by locating the beacon with a radio compass; -- also called radio beacon.
• n. that which provides guidance or inspiration.
• transitive v. To give light to, as a beacon; to light up; to illumine.
• transitive v. To furnish with a beacon or beacons.

from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

• n. A guiding or warning signal; anything fixed or set up as a token; especially, a signal-fire, either in a cresset and placed on a pole, or lighted on a tower or an eminence.
• n. A tower or hill formerly used for such purposes.
• n. A lighthouse or other object placed conspicuously on a coast, or over a rock or shoal at sea, to give notice of danger, or for the guidance of vessels.
• n. A painted staff about 9 feet long, carrying a small square flag at the top, used in camps to indicate an angle of the quarters assigned to a regiment or company.
• n. In England, formerly, a division of a wapentake; probably a district throughout which a beacon could be seen, or which was bound to furnish one.
• To illumine or light up as a beacon.
• To afford light or aid to; lead; guide as a beacon.
• To furnish or mark with beacons: as, to beacon a coast or a boundary: sometimes with off.
• To use as a beacon; make a beacon of.
• To serve or shine as a beacon.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• v. shine like a beacon
• n. a fire (usually on a hill or tower) that can be seen from a distance
• v. guide with a beacon
• n. a radio station that broadcasts a directional signal for navigational purposes
• n. a tower with a light that gives warning of shoals to passing ships