1. Among distillers, a certain degree of strength in alcoholic liquor, as formerly ascertained by the floating or sinking of glass globules of different specific gravities thrown into it; now ascertained by more accurate meters.
2. A degree of strength in alcoholic liquor as shown by beads or small bubbles remaining on its surface, or at the side of the glass, when shaken.
BEADROLL
Bead"roll`, n. (R. C. Ch.)
Defn: A catalogue of persons, for the rest of whose souls a certain number of prayers are to be said or counted off on the beads of a chaplet; hence, a catalogue in general. On Fame's eternal beadroll worthy to be field. Spenser. It is quite startling, on going over the beadroll of English worthies, to find how few are directly represented in the male line. Quart. Rev.
BEADSMAN; BEDESMAN
Beads"man, Bedes"man, n.; pl. -men (.
Defn: A poor man, supported in a beadhouse, and required to pray for
the soul of its founder; an almsman.
Whereby ye shall bind me to be your poor beadsman for ever unto
Almighty God. Fuller.
BEADSNAKE
Bead"snake`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A small poisonous snake of North America (Elaps fulvius), banded with yellow, red, and black.
BEADSWOMAN; BEDESWOMAN
Beads"wom`an, Bedes"wom`an, n.; pl. -women (.
Defn: Fem. of Beadsman.