bi:d n. & v. --n. 1 a a
small usu. rounded
and perforated
piece of
glass,
stone,
etc.,
for threading
with others to
make jewellery, or
sewing on to
fabric, etc. b (in pl.) a
string of beads; a
rosary. 2 a
drop of
liquid; a
bubble. 3 a small
knob in
the foresight of a
gun. 4 the
inner edge of a
pneumatic tyre that grips the
rim of the
wheel. 5 Archit. a a
moulding like a
series of beads. b a
narrow moulding with a
semicircular cross-section. --v. 1 tr.
furnish or
decorate with beads. 2 tr. string
together. 3 intr.
form or
grow into beads. ødraw a bead on
take aim at. tell one's beads
use the beads of a rosary etc. in counting prayers. øøbeaded adj. [orig. = 'prayer' (for
which the earliest use of beads arose): OE gebed f. Gmc, rel. to BID]