bean — English Dictionary

Noun

1. Any plant of several genera of the taxonomic family Fabaceae that produces large edible seeds or edible seedpods.

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   2004, T. N. Shivenanda, B. R. V. Iyengar, Phosphorus Management in French Bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.), Ramdane Dris, S. Mohan Jain (editors), Production Practices and Quality Assessment of Food Crops, Volume 2: Plant Mineral Nutrition and Pesticide Management, page 79, Beans are a large group of leguminous vegetables that serve as a main source of proteins in human diet. This group comprises several species and some of them are Adzuki bean (Vigna angularis); Broad bean (Vicia faba); Cluster bean (Cyamposis tetragonoloba); French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris); […] .

2. The large edible seed of such a plant (for example, a broad bean, navy bean, or garbanzo bean).

3. The edible seedpod of such a plant.

   Examples

   Green beans, also called French beans, can be pickled.

4. The bean-like seed of certain other plants, such as a vanilla bean or (especially) a coffee bean.

   Usage

   • broadly

5. An object resembling a pea or bean in shape, often made from plastic or styrofoam and used in large numbers as packing material or as stuffing for beanbags and similar items.

   Usage

   • broadly

6. The head or brain.

   Usage

   • Slang

   Synonyms

   noggin

   Examples

   Now, there was a perfectly sound forecast for you. Certainly a case of using the old bean. The surmise was perfectly logical.

   More examples (1)

   I saw her quiver and kept a wary eye on the ginger ale bottle. But even if she had raised it and brought it down on [my] bean, I couldn't have been more stunned than I was by the words that left her lips. [...] Well, as I say, it was from his fertile bean that the idea sprang.

7. The human clitoris.

   Usage

   • Slang

   Examples

   For one, don't stage a full-frontal assault on her bean.

8. A person; especially, a baby.

   Usage

   • endearing
   • often
   • Slang

   Examples

   Sparky is a good bean, even if he is a carpet-bagging bean at that.

   i dont want boid (whoever said that) he is mean. boid is a mean bean.

   More examples (1)

   "Good, because we like you. You're okay. You're a good bean." "I never thought I'd be friends with a cheerleader," I said.

9. A guinea coin or sovereign.

   Usage

   • UK usage
   • Archaic
   • Slang

10. Money.

    Usage

    • UK usage
    • Slang
    • in the negative

    Examples

    I haven't got a bean.

11. Any form of tablet, especially benzedrine (benny).

    Usage

    • Slang

    Examples

    Once the bean kicked in I started wilding.

Verb

1. To hit with a projectile, especially a deliberately aimed blow to the head.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Examples

   The pitcher beaned the batter, rather than letting him hit another home run.

   More examples (1)

   Though I shall have to exercise an iron self-restraint to keep me from beaning that pie-faced little hornswoggler Mrs Bertram Wooster, nee Wickham, with the shaker. […] ¶ dudgeon might easily lead her to reach for the ginger ale bottle and bean me with it.

Noun

1. any of various edible seeds of plants of the family Leguminosae used for food

   Synonyms

   edible bean

   Broader terms

   legume

2. any of various seeds or fruits that are beans or resemble beans

   Broader terms

   seed

3. any of various leguminous plants grown for their edible seeds and pods

   Synonyms

   bean plant

   Broader terms

   legumeleguminous plant

4. informal terms for a human head

   Synonyms

   atticboncenoodlenoggindome

   Broader terms

   human head

Verb

1. hit on the head, especially with a pitched baseball

   Broader terms

   hit