meaning of bead
1. A prayer.
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 at ones beads, to bid beads, etc. , meaning, to be at prayer.
3. Any small globular body
4. A bubble in spirits.
5. A drop of sweat or other liquid.
6. A small knob of metal on a firearm, used for taking aim (whence the expression to draw a bead, for, to take aim).
7. A small molding of rounded surface, the section being usually an arc of a circle. It may be continuous, or broken into short embossments.
8. 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.
9. To ornament with beads or beading.
10. To form beadlike bubbles.
11. Among distillers, a certain degree of strength in alcoholic liquor, as formerly ascertained by the floating or sinking of glass globules of different specific gravities thrown into it; now ascertained by more accurate meters.
12. A degree of strength in alcoholic liquor as shown by beads or small bubbles remaining on its surface, or at the side of the glass, when shaken.
Related Words
bead | beaded | beadhouse | beading | beadle | beadlery | beadleship | beadroll | beadsman | beadsnake | beadswoman | beadwork | beady |
