/ biːn; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
a seed, or pod containing seeds, of a climbing plant, eaten as a vegetable. There are several types of bean and the plants that they grow on are also called beans :
broad beans
runner beans
beans (= baked beans ) on toast
2.
(usually in compounds) a seed from a coffee plant, or some other plants :
coffee / cocoa beans
—see also jelly bean
•
IDIOMS
- full of beans / life
- not have a bean
—more at hill , know verb , spill verb
■ verb
[ vn ] ( NAmE , informal ) to hit sb on the head :
I got beaned by a rock someone threw.
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English bēan , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch boon and German Bohne .