The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Bead \Bead\ (b[=e]d), n. [OE. bede prayer, prayer bead, AS. bed,
   gebed, prayer; akin to D. bede, G. bitte, AS. biddan, to ask,
   bid, G. bitten to ask, and perh. to Gr. pei`qein to persuade,
   L. fidere to trust. Beads are used by the Roman Catholics to
   count their prayers, one bead being dropped down a string
   every time a prayer is said. Cf. Sp. cuenta bead, fr. contar
   to count. See Bid, in to bid beads, and Bide.]
   1. A prayer. [Obs.]
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A little perforated ball, to be strung on a thread, and
      worn for ornament; or used in a rosary for counting
      prayers, as by Roman Catholics and Mohammedans, whence the
      phrases to tell beads,

   to be at one's beads,

   to bid beads, etc., meaning, to be at prayer.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Any small globular body; as,
      (a) A bubble in spirits.
      (b) A drop of sweat or other liquid. "Cold beads of
          midnight dew." --Wordsworth.
      (c) A small knob of metal on a firearm, used for taking
          aim (whence the expression to draw a bead, for, to
          take aim).
      (d) (Arch.) A small molding of rounded surface, the
          section being usually an arc of a circle. It may be
          continuous, or broken into short embossments.
      (e) (Chem.) A glassy drop of molten flux, as borax or
          microcosmic salt, used as a solvent and color test for
          several mineral earths and oxides, as of iron,
          manganese, etc., before the blowpipe; as, the borax
          bead; the iron bead, etc.
          [1913 Webster]

   Bead and butt (Carp.), framing in which the panels are
      flush, having beads stuck or run upon the two edges.
      --Knight.

   Bead mold, a species of fungus or mold, the stems of which
      consist of single cells loosely jointed together so as to
      resemble a string of beads. [Written also bead mould.]


   Bead tool, a cutting tool, having an edge curved so as to
      make beads or beading.

   Bead tree (Bot.), a tree of the genus Melia, the best
      known species of which (Melia azedarach), has blue
      flowers which are very fragrant, and berries which are
      poisonous.
      [1913 Webster]