Bead

A prayer.

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 at one's beads, to bid beads, etc., meaning, to be at prayer.

Any small globular body

A bubble in spirits.

A drop of sweat or other liquid.

A small knob of metal on a firearm, used for taking aim (whence the expression to draw a bead, for, to take aim).

A small molding of rounded surface, the section being usually an arc of a circle. It may be continuous, or broken into short embossments.

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.

To ornament with beads or beading.

To form beadlike bubbles.