- 1[countable] a small piece of glass, wood, etc. with a hole through it, that can be put on a string with others of the same type and worn as jewelry, etc. a necklace of wooden beads A bead curtain separated the two rooms. see worry beads
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- 2[countable] a small drop of liquid There were beads of sweat on his forehead.
- 3beads [plural] a rosary In one of the pews a woman was fingering her beads. Idioms
to aim carefully at someone or something before shooting a gun One of the police officers drew a bead on the gunman and fired.
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