bi:n n. & v. --n. 1 a
any kind of
leguminous plant with edible usu. kidney-shaped seeds in long pods. b
one of
these seeds. 2 a
similar seed of
coffee and other plants. 3 US sl.
the head. 4 (in
pl.; with neg.) US sl.
anything at
all (doesn't
know beans
about it). --v.tr. US sl.
hit on the head. øbean
curd jelly or
paste made from beans, used
esp. in
Asian cookery. bean
sprout a sprout of a bean seed, esp. of the
mung bean, used as
food. full of beans colloq.
lively; in
high spirits.
not a bean
Brit. sl. no
money.
old bean Brit. sl. a
friendly form of
address, usu. to a
man. [OE bean f. Gmc]