bead

Everyday

1. A bead is a small ball or shape with a hole through it, put on a string to make a necklace or bracelet. tree →
2. A bead of water or sweat is a small round drop. tree →

In the lessons

In school maths: small things counted, often per necklace or bracelet, or by colour; repeating bead patterns; beads on an abacus or bead string for counting. In everyday life and crafts: making friendship bracelets. Phrases: «a string of beads», «beads of sweat», «bead pattern».

Examples

• A necklace has 30 beads. tree →
• She uses 8 red beads and 12 blue beads. tree →
• Each bracelet needs 15 beads. tree →
• How many bracelets can she make with 90 beads? tree →
• The pattern goes red, blue, blue, red, blue, blue. tree →
• We count to 100 on a bead string. tree →
• Beads of rain ran down the window. tree →
• She made a friendship bracelet with glass beads. tree →
• She wore a silk dress, golden bracelets, and large amber beads. tree →

Note

Countable: «a bead», «beads». Maths: beads per necklace is a rate; total beads ÷ beads per necklace gives how many necklaces. In a repeating pattern use the remainder to find a later bead. Trap: leftover beads are a remainder. Safety: small beads are dangerous for babies.

In Jewish tradition

In Sefer Yetzirah the paths are said to be exalted above every head. In the Song of Songs beads are jewels on the neck of the beloved, and one bead of her necklace is enough to win the lover's heart.

Interpretation. Kabbalists use the head, belly and chest to show the three mother letters in the human body. The tradition reads the Song of Songs as a love song between God and Israel, so the beautiful neck stands for Israel's beauty.

Examples

• The Tenth Path is the Resplendent Intelligence, because it is exalted above every bead, and sits on the throne of BINAH (the Intelligence spoken of in the Third Path). (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887) tree →
• The Second Path is that of the Illuminating Intelligence it is the Crown of Creation, the Splendor of the Unity, equaling it, and it is exalted above every bead, and named by the Kabbalists the Second Glory. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887) tree →
• These three mothers again represent in the Microcosm or Human form, male and female; the Head, the Belly, and the Chest; the bead from the fire, the belly from water, and the chest from the air lieth between them. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887) tree →
• Thy cheeks are comely with circlets, thy neck with beads. (Writings SNG.1.10, JPS 1917) tree →
• Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my bride; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one bead of thy necklace. (Writings SNG.4.9, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable: «a bead», «beads». Maths: beads per necklace is a rate; total beads ÷ beads per necklace gives how many necklaces. In a repeating pattern use the remainder to find a later bead. Trap: leftover beads are a remainder. Safety: small beads are dangerous for babies.

Early Modern English

Meaning

A small ball with a hole through it; in older English also a prayer. tree →

Then and now

The first sentence uses today's sense. In the Westcott line it seems to mean something like a prayer, an old sense.

Examples

• Perspiration hung like beads on his brow. (Old Indian Legends) tree →
• The Tenth Path is the Resplendent Intelligence, because it is exalted above every bead, and sits on the throne of BINAH (the Intelligence spoken of in the Third Path). (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887) tree →
• She wore a silk dress, golden bracelets, and large amber beads. (Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen) tree →

Note

Today: bead; prayer.