Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Bead
Bead
(bēd)
, Noun.
[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. πείθειν
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 Muslims, whence the phrases
to tell beads
, to be 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.
– Bead 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 (Melia azedarach
), has blue flowers which are very fragrant, and berries which are poisonous.Bead
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Beaded
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Beading
.] To ornament with beads or beading.
Bead
,Verb.
I.
To form beadlike bubbles.
Webster 1828 Edition
Bead
BEAD
,Noun.
1.
A little perforated ball, to be strung on a thread, and worn about the neck, for ornament. A string of beads is called a necklace. Beads are made of gold, pearl, amber, steel, garnet, coral, diamond, crystal, pastes, glasses, &c. The Romanists use strings of beads in rehearsing their prayers. Hence the phrase, to tell beads, and to be at one's beads, is to be at prayer.2.
Any small globular body; hence the glass globules, used in traffic with savages, and sold in strings, are called beads; also a bubble on spirit.3.
In architecture, a round molding, commonly made upon the edge of a piece of stuff, in the Corinthian and Roman orders,cut or carved in short embossments, like beads in necklaces.of beads, is a charge given by a priest to his parishioners, to repeat certain pater-nosters upon their beads for a departed soul.