beak

Etymology 1

From Middle English bec, borrowed from Anglo-Norman bec, Old French bec, from Latin beccus, from Gaulish *bekkos, from Proto-Celtic *bekkos (“beak, snout”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bak-, *baḱ- (“pointed stick, peg”). Cognate with Breton beg (“beak”). Compare Saterland Frisian Bäk (“mouth; muzzle; beak”); Dutch bek (“beak; bill; neb”)

noun

1. Anatomical uses.
   1. A rigid structure projecting from the front of a bird's face, used for pecking, grooming, foraging, carrying items, eating food, etc.
   2. A similar structure forming the jaws of a turtle, platypus, etc.
   3. The long projecting sucking mouth of some insects and other invertebrates, as in the Hemiptera.
   4. The upper or projecting part of the shell, near the hinge of a bivalve.
   5. The prolongation of certain univalve shells containing the canal.
   6. (botany) Any process somewhat like the beak of a bird, terminating the fruit or other parts of a plant.
2. Figurative uses.
   1. Anything projecting or ending in a point like a beak, such as a promontory of land.
   2. (architecture) A continuous slight projection ending in an arris or narrow fillet; that part of a drip from which the water is thrown off.
   3. (farriery) A toe clip.
   4. (nautical) That part of a ship, before the forecastle, which is fastened to the stem, and supported by the main knee.
   5. (nautical) A beam, shod or armed at the end with a metal head or point, and projecting from the prow of an ancient galley, used as a ram to pierce the vessel of an enemy; a beakhead.
   6. (entomology) Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genus Libythea, notable for the beak-like elongation on their heads.
3. Colloquial uses.
   1. (slang) The human nose, especially one that is large and pointed.
   2. (slang, Southern England) cocaine.

verb

1. (transitive) Strike with the beak.
2. (transitive) Seize with the beak.
3. (intransitive, Northern Ireland) To play truant.
   Knew the Jampot well. I spent many an afternoon while I was beaking school in that fine establishment. 2008-01-11, jemmy hope (username), “Re: Sandy Row”, in Belfast Forum
   I was living at home at her age, by and large doing what my parents told me, apart from beaking school. 2017, Paddy Armstrong, Life After Life: A Guildford Four Memoir

Etymology 2

Unknown; originally cant; first recorded in 17thC; probably related to obsolete cant beck "constable".

noun

1. (slang, Britain) A justice of the peace; a magistrate.
   Harry looked rather bulky, you know, Tom, and the slop (policeman) says, 'Hallo, what you got here?' and by [blank] he took us both before the beak. 1866, Temple Bar: A London Magazine for Town and Country Readers
   That an unnamed 22-year-old will be up before the Colchester beak in March under the Road Traffic Act's recherché section 3 – covering inconsiderate driving and with a maximum fine of £5,000 – may at first sight seem a facetious use of court resources. 24 January 2014, Matthew Norman, “Hercules of the Yard can fix boorish Britain: There's a long list of possible miscreants for the Essex PC who made a splash over a puddle [print version: 25 January 2014]”, in The Daily Telegraph, page 27
   In 1854, ill health forced Henry [Fielding] to stop running the organisation that later became the Bow Street Runners, London's first professional police force, and John [Fielding] took over. This despite having lost his sight in a naval accident at the age of 19. He was known as the Blind Beak, and was said to be able to recognise as many as 3,000 criminals by their voices alone. 12 April 2014, Christopher Middleton, “Dream home: one of Chelsea's most historic houses is for sale: We deliver our verdict on a London landmark that comes with an impeccable legal pedigree [print version: What price justice? In this case, a cool £14.5m]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Property), London, page P9
2. (slang, British public schools) A schoolmaster (originally, at Eton).
   It’s easy enough to be a beak when you’re young and athletic, and can offer the latest University smattering. The difficulty is to keep your place when you get old and stiff, and younger smatterers are pushing up behind you. Crawl into a boarding-house and you’re safe. A master’s life is frightfully tragic. 1907, E.M. Forster, The Longest Journey, Part II, XX [Uniform ed., p. 201]