noun

1. a small, usually round piece of glass, wood, metal, etc., pierced for stringing
2. rosary (sense )
3. a string of beads; necklace
4. any small, round object, as the sight at the muzzle end of a gun barrel
5. a drop or bubble beads of sweat
6. 1. a bubble in an effervescing liquid
   2. foam or a head, as on beer
7. a globule of metal, as gold or silver, obtained by refining in a cupel
8. the liplike region around a pneumatic tire that seals to the rim
9. Archit.
   1. a narrow, half-round molding
   2. a molding composed of small rounded ornaments, like a string of beads
10. Chem. a beadlike mass usually formed inside the loop of a platinum wire by the action of a flux, such as borax, upon the oxide or salt of certain metals: used in identifying metals in their compounds, since the metal determines the color of the bead

Etymology: ME bede, prayer, prayer bead < OE bed < biddan, to pray, ask: see bid

transitive verb

1. to decorate or string with beads or beading
2. to string like beads

intransitive verb