n.
Pronunciation: ' b ē d
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English bede prayer, prayer bead, from Old English bed, gebed prayer; akin to Old English biddan to entreat, pray ― more at BID
Date: before 12th century
1 a obsolete : PRAYER ― usually used in plural b plural : a series of prayers and meditations made with a rosary
2 : a small piece of material pierced for threading on a string or wire (as in a rosary)
3 plural a : ROSARY b : a necklace of beads or pearls
4 : a small ball-shaped body: as a : a drop of sweat or blood b : a bubble formed in or on a beverage c : a small metal knob on a firearm used as a front sight d : a blob or a line of weld metal
5 : a projecting rim, band, or molding
6 : a precise knowledge or understanding ― used in such phrases as get a bead on