Bead

·noun A bubble in spirits.

II. Bead ·noun Any small globular body.

III. Bead ·vi To form beadlike bubbles.

IV. Bead ·noun A Prayer.

V. Bead ·noun A drop of sweat or other liquid.

VI. Bead ·vt To ornament with beads or beading.

VII. Bead ·noun A small knob of metal on a firearm, used for taking aim (whence the expression to draw a bead, for, to take aim).

VIII. Bead ·noun A small molding of rounded surface, the section being usually an arc of a circle. It may be continuous, or broken into short embossments.

IX. Bead ·noun 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.

X. Bead ·noun 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 one's beads, to bid beads, ·etc., meaning, to be at prayer.