1
- a small piece of glass, stone, or similar material, typically rounded and perforated for threading with others to make a necklace or rosary or for sewing on to fabric有孔小珠。
2
- a drop of a liquid on a surface（液体在平面上的）小滴：
beads of sweat.
汗珠。
3
- a small knob forming the foresight of a gun（枪的）圆形准星。
4
- the reinforced inner edge of a pneumatic tyre that grips the rim of the wheel（轮胎的）胎圈, 胎边。
5
- an ornamental plaster moulding resembling a string of beads or having a semicircular cross section凸圆线脚。
6
- a narrow moulding of any cross section窄线脚。
with obj.
1
- often as adj. beaded decorate or cover with beads缀珠状物于：
a beaded evening bag.
饰有小珠的晚装提包。
1.1
- string (beads) together把（珠）串在一起。
2
- （常作be beaded）cover (a surface) with drops of moisture在（平面上）覆盖小珠：
his face was beaded with perspiration.
他的脸上满是汗珠。
短语
draw（或get）a bead on
1
- chiefly N. Amer. take aim at with a gun〈主北美〉用枪瞄准。
1.1
- fully understand or make sense of完全明白, 搞清楚：
it's hard to draw a bead on the stock market these days.
眼下的股市真有点令人琢磨不透。
tell one's beads
- use the beads of a rosary in counting prayers拨弄着念珠喃喃祈祷。
词源
Old English gebed 'prayer'， of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bede and German Gebet, also to BID2. Current senses derive from the use of a rosary， each bead representing a prayer.