Bean Definition & Meaning

American

British

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Etymology

Examples

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Synonyms bean 1 American [been] / bin /

noun

1. the edible nutritious seed of various plants of the legume family, especially of the genus Phaseolus.

2. a plant producing such seeds.

3. the pod of such a plant, especially when immature and eaten as a vegetable.

4. any of various other beanlike seeds or plants, as the coffee bean.

5. Slang.

   1. a person's head.

   2. a coin or a bank note considered as a coin.

      I can't pay for the ticket, I don't have a bean in my jeans.

6. British Informal. a minimum amount of money.

   They've been disinherited and now haven't a bean.

7. Informal. beans, the slightest amount.

   He doesn't know beans about navigation.

verb (used with object)

1. Slang. to hit on the head, especially with a baseball.

interjection

1. beans, (used to express disbelief, annoyance, etc.)

idioms

1. full of beans,

   1. energetic; vigorously active; vital.

      He is still full of beans at 95.

   2. stupid; erroneous; misinformed.

2. spill the beans, to disclose a secret, either accidentally or imprudently, thereby ruining a surprise or plan.

   He spilled the beans, and she knew all about the party in advance.

Bean 2 American [been] / bin /

noun

1. Alan L(aVern), 1932–2018, U.S. astronaut.

2. Roy Judge, 1825?–1903, U.S. frontiersman and justice of the peace: called himself “the law west of the Pecos.”

bean British / biːn /

noun

1. any of various leguminous plants of the widely cultivated genus Phaseolus producing edible seeds in pods See French bean lima bean scarlet runner string bean

2. any of several other leguminous plants that bear edible pods or seeds, such as the broad bean and soya bean

3. any of various other plants whose seeds are produced in pods or podlike fruits

4. the seed or pod of any of these plants

5. any of various beanlike seeds, such as coffee

6. slang another word for head

7. slang excellent; impressive

8. slang to be without money

   I haven't got a bean

9. informal

   1. full of energy and vitality

   2. mistaken; erroneous

10. informal to disclose something confidential

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

1. slang (tr) to hit (a person) on the head

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 bean More Idioms

1. see full of beans; not have a bean; not know beans; not worth a dime (bean); spill the beans; tough break (beans).

Other Word Forms

• beanlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of bean

before 950; Middle English bene, Old English bēan; cognate with Old Norse baun, Old Frisian bāne, Dutch boon, Old Saxon, Old High German bona ( German Bohne ), probably < Germanic *babnō, cognate with Russian bob, Latin faba < European Indo-European *bhabh-

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Foods rich in magnesium include dark leafy greens, beans, whole grains, dark chocolate, fatty fish such as salmon, nuts and avocados.

From Science Daily

Spoon it over a comforting bulk grain — pasta, rice, polenta, beans — top it with a single egg, and it will set you right almost every time.

From Salon

Granola bundled with a bag of coffee beans from a beloved local shop.

From Salon

To attract increasingly discerning consumers, Kroger has offered a precooked holiday meal for eight of turkey or ham, stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, cranberry and gravy for about $11 a person.

From Los Angeles Times

Build recipes that can stretch or shine depending on the week: welcoming beans instead of meat, dried herbs instead of fresh, a pared-back version on a Tuesday or something more generous when you can.

From Salon

Related Words

• berry
• grain
• kernel

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.