The DICT Development Group

  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.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]

  Bead \Bead\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Beaded; p. pr. & vb. n.
     Beading.]
     To ornament with beads or beading.
     [1913 Webster]

  Bead \Bead\, v. i.
     To form beadlike bubbles.
     [1913 Webster]

  bead
      n 1: a small ball with a hole through the middle
      2: a shape that is spherical and small; "he studied the shapes
         of low-viscosity drops"; "beads of sweat on his forehead"
         [syn: drop, bead, pearl]
      3: a beaded molding for edging or decorating furniture [syn:
         beading, bead, beadwork, astragal]
      v 1: form into beads, as of water or sweat, for example
      2: decorate by sewing beads onto; "bead the wedding gown"
      3: string together like beads

  67 Moby Thesaurus words for "bead":
     anklet, armlet, ball, balloon, bangle, beads, bejewel, beribbon,
     bespangle, bijou, bracelet, breastpin, brooch, chain, chaplet,
     charm, chatelaine, circle, conglobulate, coronet, crown, dewdrop,
     diadem, diamond, drop, droplet, earring, engrave, feather, figure,
     filigree, flag, flounce, flower, fob, garland, gem, globe,
     illuminate, jewel, locket, mushroom, necklace, nose ring, paint,
     pearl, pin, plume, precious stone, raindrop, rhinestone, ribbon,
     ring, snowball, spangle, sphere, spherify, stickpin, stone,
     teardrop, tiara, tinsel, torque, wampum, wreathe, wristband,
     wristlet