bead /biːd/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: bed , gebed 'prayer' ; because people counted beads while saying their prayers ]
1 . one of a set of small, usually round, pieces of glass, wood, plastic etc, that you can put on a string and wear as jewellery:
She wore a string of green glass beads around her neck.
2 . a small drop of liquid such as water or blood:
Beads of sweat trickled down his face.
3 . draw a bead on somebody/something to aim carefully before shooting a weapon
⇨ ↑ worry beads