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bead

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bead

 

  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Bead  \Bead\,  n.  [OE.  bede  prayer,  prayer  bead,  AS  bed,  gebed, 
  prayer;  akin  to  D.  bede,  G.  bitte,  AS  biddan  to  ask  bid, 
  G.  bitten  to  ask  and  perh.  to  Gr  ?  to  persuade,  L.  fidere 
  to  trust.  Beads  are  used  by  the  Roman  Catholics  to  count 
  their  prayers,  one  bead  being  dropped  down  a  string  every 
  time  a  prayer  is  said  Cf  Sp  cuenta  bead,  fr  contar  to 
  count  See  {Bid},  in  to  bid  beads,  and  {Bide}.] 
  1.  A  prayer.  [Obs.] 
 
  2.  A  little  perforated  ball,  to  be  strung  on  a  thread,  and 
  worn  for  ornament;  or  used  in  a  rosary  for  counting 
  prayers,  as  by  Roman  Catholics  and  Mohammedans,  whence  the 
  phrases  to  tell  beads,  to  at  one's  beads,  to  bid  beads, 
  etc.,  meaning,  to  be  at  prayer. 
 
  3.  Any  small  globular  body;  as 
  a  A  bubble  in  spirits. 
  b  A  drop  of  sweat  or  other  liquid.  ``Cold  beads  of 
  midnight  dew.''  --Wordsworth. 
  c  A  small  knob  of  metal  on  a  firearm,  used  for  taking 
  aim  (whence  the  expression  to  draw  a  bead,  for  to 
  take  aim). 
  d  (Arch.)  A  small  molding  of  rounded  surface,  the 
  section  being  usually  an  arc  of  a  circle.  It  may  be 
  continuous,  or  broken  into  short  embossments. 
  e  (Chem.)  A  glassy  drop  of  molten  flux,  as  borax  or 
  microcosmic  salt,  used  as  a  solvent  and  color  test  for 
  several  mineral  earths  and  oxides,  as  of  iron, 
  manganese,  etc.,  before  the  blowpipe;  as  the  borax 
  bead;  the  iron  bead,  etc 
 
  {Bead  and  butt}  (Carp.),  framing  in  which  the  panels  are 
  flush,  having  beads  stuck  or  run  upon  the  two  edges. 
  --Knight. 
 
  {Beat  mold},  a  species  of  fungus  or  mold,  the  stems  of  which 
  consist  of  single  cells  loosely  jointed  together  so  as  to 
  resemble  a  string  of  beads.  [Written  also  {bead  mould}.] 
 
 
  {Bead  tool},  a  cutting  tool,  having  an  edge  curved  so  as  to 
  make  beads  or  beading. 
 
  {Bead  tree}  (Bot.),  a  tree  of  the  genus  {Melia},  the  best 
  known  species  of  which  ({M.  azedarach}),  has  blue  flowers 
  which  are  very  fragrant,  and  berries  which  are  poisonous. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Bead  \Bead\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Beaded};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Beading}.] 
  To  ornament  with  beads  or  beading. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Bead  \Bead\,  v.  i. 
  To  form  beadlike  bubbles. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  bead 
  n  1:  a  small  ball  with  a  hole  through  the  middle 
  2:  a  shape  that  is  small  and  round;  "he  studied  the  shapes  of 
  low-viscosity  drops";  "beads  of  sweat  on  his  forehead" 
  [syn:  {drop},  {pearl}] 
  3:  a  beaded  molding  for  edging  or  decorating  furniture  [syn:  {beading}, 
  {beadwork},  {astragal}] 
  v  1:  form  into  beads,  as  of  water  or  sweat,  for  example 
  2:  decorate  by  sewing  beads  onto 
  3:  string  together  like  beads




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