bead Look up bead at Dictionary.com
late 14c., bede "prayer bead," from O.E. gebed "prayer," from P.Gmc. *bešan (cf. M.Du. bede, O.H.G. beta, Ger. bitte, Goth. bida "prayer, request"), from PIE *gwhedh- "to ask, pray." Shift in meaning came via beads threaded on a string to count prayers, and in phrases like to bid one's beads, to count one's beads. Ger. cognate Bitte is the usual word for conversational request "please." Also related to bid (O.E. biddan) and Goth. bidjan "to ask, pray." Sense transferred to "drop of liquid" 1590s; to "small knob forming front sight of a gun" 1831 (Kentucky slang); hence draw a bead on "take aim at," 1841, U.S. colloquial.