Definition: bean

Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

bean
     n 1: any of various edible seeds of plants of the family
          Leguminosae [syn: edible bean]
     2: any of various seeds or fruits suggestive of beans
     3: any of various leguminous plants grown for their edible
        seeds and pods [syn: bean plant]
     4: informal terms for a human head [syn: attic, bonce, noodle,
         noggin, dome]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Bean \Bean\ (b[=e]n), n. [OE. bene, AS. be['a]n; akin to D.
   boon, G. bohne, OHG. p[=o]na, Icel. baun, Dan. b["o]nne, Sw.
   b["o]na, and perh. to Russ. bob, L. faba.]
   1. (Bot.) A name given to the seed of certain leguminous
      herbs, chiefly of the genera Faba, Phaseolus, and
      Dolichos; also, to the herbs.

   Note: The origin and classification of many kinds are still
         doubtful. Among true beans are: the black-eyed bean and
         China bean, included in Dolichos Sinensis; black
         Egyptian bean or hyacinth bean, D. Lablab; the common
         haricot beans, kidney beans, string beans, and pole
         beans, all included in Phaseolus vulgaris; the lower
         bush bean, Ph. vulgaris, variety nanus; Lima bean,
         Ph. lunatus; Spanish bean and scarlet runner, Ph.
         maltiflorus; Windsor bean, the common bean of England,
         Faba vulgaris. As an article of food beans are
         classed with vegetables.

   2. The popular name of other vegetable seeds or fruits, more
      or less resembling true beans.

   Bean aphis (Zo["o]l.), a plant louse (Aphis fab[ae])
      which infests the bean plant.

   Bean fly (Zo["o]l.), a fly found on bean flowers.

   Bean goose (Zo["o]l.), a species of goose (Anser
      segetum).

   Bean weevil (Zo["o]l.), a small weevil that in the larval
      state destroys beans. The American species in Bruchus
      fab[ae].

   Florida bean (Bot.), the seed of Mucuna urens, a West
      Indian plant. The seeds are washed up on the Florida
      shore, and are often polished and made into ornaments.

   Ignatius bean, or St. Ignatius's bean (Bot.), a species
      of Strychnos.

   Navy bean, the common dried white bean of commerce;
      probably so called because an important article of food in
      the navy.

   Pea bean, a very small and highly esteemed variety of the
      edible white bean; -- so called from its size.

   Sacred bean. See under Sacred.

   Screw bean. See under Screw.

   Sea bean.
      (a) Same as Florida bean.
      (b) A red bean of unknown species used for ornament.

   Tonquin bean, or Tonka bean, the fragrant seed of
      Dipteryx odorata, a leguminous tree.

   Vanilla bean. See under Vanilla.

Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (2003-OCT-10)

bean

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