n. & v.
--n.
1. a a small usu. rounded and perforated piece of glass, stone, etc., for threading with others to make jewellery, or sewing on to fabric, etc. b (in pl.) a string of beads; a rosary.
2 a drop of liquid; a bubble.
3 a small knob in the foresight of a gun.
4 the inner edge of a pneumatic tyre that grips the rim of the wheel.
5 Archit. a a moulding like a series of beads. b a narrow moulding with a semicircular cross-section.
--v.
1. tr. furnish or decorate with beads.
2 tr. string together.
3 intr. form or grow into beads.
Phrases and idioms:
draw a bead on take aim at. tell one's beads use the beads of a rosary etc. in counting prayers.
Derivatives:
beaded adj.
Etymology: orig. 'prayer' (for which the earliest use of beads arose): OE gebed f. Gmc, rel. to BID