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bean

Syllabification: (bean)

Pronunciation: /bēn/

Definition of bean

1an edible seed, typically kidney-shaped, growing in long pods on certain leguminous plants.
the hard seed of coffee, cocoa, and certain other plants.

2a leguminous plant that bears beans in pods.
- Phaseolus and other genera, family Leguminosae: numerous species, including the scarlet runner (P. coccineus), kidney bean (P. vulgaris), and broad bean (Vicia faba)

3 [with negative] (also beans) informal a very small amount or nothing at all of something (used emphatically):there is not a single bean of substance in the report I didn’t know beans about being a step-parent

4 informal a person’s head, typically when regarded as a source of common sense.

[with object] informal, chiefly North American

Phrases

full of beans: informal lively; in high spirits.
a hill (or row) of beans: [with negative] anything of any importance or value:three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world
old bean: British informal dated a friendly form of address, usually to a man:great to see you, old bean!

Old English bēan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch boon and German Bohne

Definition of bean in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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