The phrase "on one's beam-ends" is an idiomatic expression that means to be in a difficult or precarious situation, often implying that someone is broke, in trouble, or struggling. It denotes a state of instability similar to a ship that has tipped over and is resting on its side rather than floating upright.
The expression is not overly common in modern spoken English; it tends to appear more in written texts, especially in literary works or formal discourse.
После внезапного экономического спада компания оказалась в затруднительном положении.
He was living on his beam-ends after losing his job and couldn't afford to pay rent.
Он жил в бедности после потери работы и не мог позволить себе платить за аренду.
The team was on its beam-ends after the unexpected loss in the finals.
The phrase "on one's beam-ends" can often be found in discussions surrounding hardship or adversity. Some idiomatic expressions that include "beam" or have similar meanings include:
После месяцев безработицы он был на грани отчаяния.
"To be on the rocks."
Их брак на грани разрушения из-за постоянных ссор.
"To be between a rock and a hard place."
Ей было трудно выбрать, взять работу или заботиться о больном родителе.
"To hit the skids."
The phrase "on one's beam-ends" likely originated from nautical terminology. The "beam" refers to the widest part of a ship. When a vessel is on its beam-ends, it has tipped over so that its hull is nearly vertical, indicating that it is in distress. The expression has been used since at least the 19th century, reflecting the naval background of English maritime language.