Definition of the word bead

Definition of the word bead

Pronunciation of vocabulary bead

beadnoun
hạt
/biːd//biːd/

Origin of the word bead

The origin of the word "bead" is fascinating! The Oxford English Dictionary dates the word's roots back to Old English, specifically to the Proto-Germanic word "*badiz" or "*bethiz", which means "button" or "disc". This Proto-Germanic word is believed to have been derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*bher-" meaning "to swell" or "to burst", possibly referencing the rounded shape of early metal buttons or beads. Over time, the spelling and meaning of the word evolved. By Middle English (circa 11th-15th centuries), "bead" referred to small objects used for counting or decorating clothing, often made of precious materials like glass, stone, or metal. Today, the word "bead" encompasses not only the original meaning but also its applications in various contexts, such as beading designs, gemstones, and even computing terminology (e.g., beads of sweat in digital graphics).

Vocabulary summary bead

type noun

meaning beads (of beads)

example the sweat beaded on his brows

example to tell one's beads

meaning drop, grain

example beads of dew

example beads of perspiration

meaning foam (of wine...)

type transitive verb

meaning string

example the sweat beaded on his brows

example to tell one's beads

Example of vocabulary beadnamespace

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 jewellery, etc.

một mảnh thủy tinh, gỗ nhỏ, v.v., có một lỗ xuyên qua, có thể được xỏ vào một sợi dây với những vật khác cùng loại và đeo như đồ trang sức, v.v.

a necklace of wooden beads
một chiếc vòng cổ bằng hạt gỗ
A bead curtain separated the two rooms.
Một tấm rèm hạt ngăn cách hai phòng.

Extra examples:

A strand of coral beads hung round her neck.
Một chuỗi hạt san hô đeo quanh cổ cô.
She threaded the beads carefully.
Cô xâu chuỗi hạt một cách cẩn thận.
He wore a string of wooden beads.
Anh ta đeo một chuỗi hạt gỗ.

a rosary

một chuỗi tràng hạt

In one of the pews a woman was fingering her beads.
Ở một trong những hàng ghế, một người phụ nữ đang lần chuỗi hạt của mình.

a small drop of liquid

một giọt chất lỏng nhỏ

There were beads of sweat on his forehead.
Trên trán anh lấm tấm những giọt mồ hôi.
Little beads of blood seeped out from a cut on her cheek.
Những giọt máu nhỏ rỉ ra từ vết cắt trên má cô.