Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BEAK, n. [D. bek; W. pig; Ir. peac; Arm. bek; Fr. bec; Sp. pico; It. becco; Dan. pig, pik; Sw. pigg, pik; Sax. piic; Fr. pique; Eng. peak, pike, &c. The sense is, a shoot, or a point, from thrusting; and this word is connected with a numerous family. See Class Bg.]

1. The bill, or nib of a bird, consisting of a horny substance, either straight or curving, and ending in a point.
2. A pointed piece of wood, fortified with brass, resembling a beak, fastened to the end of ancient galleys; intended to pierce the vessels of an enemy. In modern ships, the beak-head is a name given to the forepart of a ship, whose forecastle is square or oblong; a circumstance common to all ships of war, which have two or more tiers of guns. – Mar. Dict. Beak or beak-head, that part of a ship, before the forecastle, which is fastened to the stem, and supported by the main knee. – Encyc.
3. In farriery, a little shoe, at the toe, about an inch long, turned up and fastened in upon the fore part of the hoof. – Farrier's Dict.
4. Any thing ending in a point, like a beak. This in America is more generally pronounced peak.