Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BEAD, n. [Ger. bethe, a bead; supposed from beten, biddan, to pray, from the use of beads in Catholic countries; Sax. bead, a praying. In Spanish and Portuguese, the word answering to count is used for a bead.]

1. A little perforated ball, to be strung on a thread, and worn about the neck, for ornament. A string of beads is called a necklace. Beads are made of gold, pearl, amber, steel, garnet, coral, diamond, crystal, pastes, glasses, &c. The Romanists use strings of beads in rehearsing their prayers. Hence the phrase, to tell beads, and to be at one's beads, is to be at prayer. – Encyc. Johnson.
2. Any small globular body hence the glass globules, used in traffick with savages, and sold in strings, are called beads; also a bubble on spirit.
3. In architecture, a round molding, commonly made upon the edge of a piece of stuff, in the Corinthian and Roman orders, cut or carved in short embossments, like beads in necklaces. – Encyc. Bidding of beads, is a charge given by a priest to his parishioners, to repeat certain pater-nosters upon their beads for a departed soul. – Bailey.