bean
bean
Pronunciation
bean: /biːn/
/biː/ (bee)
/n/ (n)
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: bean
Plural Noun: beans
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A leguminous seed, typically kidney-shaped or rounded, that is eaten as a vegetable.
Synonyms: legume, pulse
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; perhaps "meat" or "fruit" if contrasting food types, but not true antonyms)
Definition 2: (Slang, often in the plural "beans") Money or financial resources.
Synonyms: cash, funds, dough (informal), moolah (informal)
Antonyms: debt, arrears, destitution
Definition 3: (Slang) A small, hard object or capsule, often containing a substance like coffee or a drug.
Synonyms: pill, capsule, pellet, nugget
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms)
Definition 4: (Informal, often in the phrase "spill the beans") A piece of confidential information or a secret.
Synonyms: secret, confidence, disclosure, revelation
Antonyms: secret (when referring to the act of keeping something hidden), concealment, discretion
Examples of Use
Books:
"Harry pocketed the last bean, looking at Ron, who was now having to struggle to keep a straight face." (J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) - Here, "bean" refers to a magical jelly bean.
"She was a string bean of a girl, all arms and legs, always tripping over her own feet." (Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird) - In this example, "bean" is used metaphorically to describe a tall and thin person.
Newspapers:
"The price of coffee beans is expected to rise due to adverse weather conditions in South America." (The Wall Street Journal, Business Section) - This refers to coffee seeds.
"Local farmers are reporting a bumper crop of green beans this season, offering a fresh supply for markets." (The Daily Nation, Local News) - Here, "beans" refers to a specific vegetable.
Online Publications:
"How to cook dried beans from scratch: A comprehensive guide." (Serious Eats, Food Blog, published May 15, 2025) - Referring to the dried legumes.
"The startup received a substantial investment, giving them more beans to expand their operations." (TechCrunch, Startup News) - In this informal usage, "beans" means money.
"Don't spill the beans about the surprise party!" (BuzzFeed, Pop Culture Article) - This uses the idiom "spill the beans," meaning to reveal a secret.
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Television Show (Dialogue): "He's a tough guy, doesn't even flinch when you threaten to bean him with a baseball bat." (From a crime drama series, likely Breaking Bad or Sons of Anarchy, though specific episode citation is difficult without more context) - Here, "bean" is used as a verb, meaning to hit someone on the head.
Song Lyrics: "I got them beans, I got them greens, potatoes, tomatoes, you name it!" (From the song "Cashin' Out" by Ca$h Out) - In this hip-hop context, "beans" likely refers to money or perhaps drugs, depending on the broader lyrical context.
Video Game (Dialogue/In-Game Text): "Collect all the magic beans to unlock the hidden level!" (From a platformer video game, e.g., Super Mario Bros. or The Legend of Zelda) - Refers to collectible items.
Podcast (Discussion): "The CEO really spilled the beans on the company's financial troubles during the last earnings call." (From a business news podcast, e.g., NPR's Planet Money, aired June 25, 2025) - Again, the idiom for revealing information.
General Public Discourse:
"My grandma's chili recipe always starts with soaking the kidney beans overnight." (Casual conversation among friends) - Referring to the dried legumes.
"Can you believe how much those coffee beans cost at the artisan shop?" (Conversation between shoppers) - Referring to coffee seeds.
"He's a pretty smart guy, really knows his beans when it comes to coding." (Informal conversation, meaning he's knowledgeable; less common but still heard) - A more archaic or regional informal use meaning "facts" or "knowledge."
"She really got beaned by that stray ball during the baseball game." (Spectator at a sporting event) - Used as a verb, meaning to be hit on the head.
10 Famous Quotes Using Bean
"I have been a great bean counter for most of my life. I have tried to make sense of the world by counting things." (Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers: The Story of Success)
"Don't spill the beans." (Common idiom, origin unknown but popularized in early 20th century American English)
"He was a string bean of a man, all arms and legs." (Often attributed to various authors and speakers describing a thin person, but a precise single source is difficult to pinpoint for its fame)
"We are all in the same pot, and we must all eat the same beans." (African Proverb, widely circulated)
"I'm full of beans!" (Traditional British English idiom, meaning full of energy; widely used in children's literature and everyday speech)
"Life is like a cup of coffee. It's not about the beans, it's about how you brew it." (Attributed to various sources, popular inspirational quote)
"You don't know beans about it." (Common American idiom, meaning to know nothing about something, popularized in the 19th century)
"My father used to say, 'You can't get blood from a turnip,' and I always thought, 'You can't get a good cup of coffee without good beans.'" (Original quote, reflecting common understanding of coffee)
"He's a real bean counter." (Common informal phrase referring to an accountant or someone overly focused on numbers)
"The bean of life is hard to crack, but once opened, it nourishes." (Original metaphorical quote, referring to the challenges and rewards of life)
Etymology
The word "bean" has a long history, going back to ancient times!
In simple terms, the word "bean" comes from a very old family of words in the Germanic languages, like English, German, and Dutch. Its roots can be traced back to a Proto-Germanic word, which is like the ancestor language for these modern languages, and even further back to an even older language called Proto-Indo-European.
The first known use of the word "bean" in English is from the Old English period (before 1150 AD). Back then, it was spelled "bēan." Its original meaning was specifically for certain pod-bearing seeds that were known in Europe at the time, particularly what we now call broad beans (also known as fava beans), and other similar legumes like chickpeas.
It's important to note that this was long before Europeans discovered many of the beans we commonly eat today, like kidney beans or black beans, which came from the Americas after Christopher Columbus's voyages. When those "New World" beans arrived, the existing word "bean" was simply extended to include them because they looked similar. Over time, the word also started being used for other seeds that resembled beans, like coffee beans or vanilla beans, even if they weren't botanically true beans.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Bean
Spill the beans: To reveal a secret or confidential information.
Full of beans: To be very lively, energetic, and in high spirits.
Not know beans about something: To know absolutely nothing about a particular subject.
A hill of beans: A small or insignificant amount; often used in negative constructions like "doesn't amount to a hill of beans."
Old bean: An informal, affectionate term of address for a friend, especially in British English.
Bean counter: A derogatory or informal term for an accountant or someone overly concerned with financial details and cutting costs.
To bean someone: To hit someone on the head (often with an object).
String bean: A tall and thin person.
Cool beans! (Slang) An exclamation expressing approval or excitement.
To have a bean for something: (Lesser-known/Original) To have a knack or natural inclination for a particular activity.
Not worth a hill of peas: (Idiom with synonym for similar effect) Of very little value or importance (similar to "hill of beans").
To count the pulses: (Lesser-known/Original, using synonym "pulse") To be meticulously careful with finances or resources, akin to a "bean counter."
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of bean from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
