bean

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A seed or seedpod from certain plants, eaten as a vegetable.

   We had rice and beans for dinner.

2. 2
   noun

   A seed used to make coffee or chocolate.

   The shop grinds fresh coffee beans every morning.

3. 3
   verb

   To hit someone on the head, especially with a thrown ball.

   The pitcher accidentally beaned the batter with a fast ball.

From Middle English bene, from Old English bēan, from Proto-West Germanic *baunu, from Proto-Germanic *baunō (“bean”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰabʰ- (“bean”). Cognate with Scots bene, bein (“bean”), North Frisian buan (“bean”), Saterland Frisian Boone (“bean”), West Frisian bean, beanne (“bean”), Dutch boon (“bean”), German Bohne (“bean”), Luxembourgish Boun (“bean”), Danish bønne (“bean”), Faroese bøn, bøna (“bean”), Icelandic baun (“bean”), Norwegian Bokmål bønne (“bean”), Norwegian Nynorsk bauna, baune, bogna, bønne, Swedish böna (“bean”), Irish pónaire (“bean”), Manx poanrey (“bean”), S…

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