bean

  • noun 1 an edible seed growing in long pods on certain plants. 2 the hard seed of a coffee or cocoa plant. 3 informal a very small amount or nothing at all: there is not a bean of truth in the report. 4 informal, dated a person’s head.

  • verb informal, chiefly N. Amer. hit on the head.

  — PHRASES full of beans informal lively; in high spirits. old bean Brit. informal, dated a friendly form of address.

  — ORIGIN Old English.

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