BEAK, the horny bill of a bird, and so used of the horny ends of the mandibles of the octopus, the duck-billed platypus and other animals; hence the rostrum (q.v.) or ornamented prow of ancient war vessels. The term is also applied, in classic architec ture, to the pendent fillet on the edge of the corona of a cornice, which serves as a drip and prevents the rain from flowing inwards.
The slang use of "beak" for a magistrate or justice of the peace, has not been satisfactorily explained. The earlier meaning, which lasted down to the beginning of the 59th century, was "watchman" or "constable." The word is also used in certain English public schools as a slang name for a schoolmaster.