from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Bead \Bead\ (b[=e]d), n. [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. pei`qein 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.]
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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 Mohammedans, whence the
phrases to tell beads,
{to be at one's beads},
{to bid beads}, etc., meaning, to be at prayer.
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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.
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{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.
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