know how many beans make five Definition

bean
noun

1. A general name applied to the edible kidney-shaped seeds of plants belonging to the pea family, especially those of the runner bean.
2. Any plant belonging to the pea family that bears such seeds, eg broad bean, haricot bean.
3. cookery.
A seed or young pod of such a plant, used as food.
Form: beans (usually)
4. Any other seed that superficially resembles those of the pea family, eg coffee bean.
5. colloq
A small coin; a tiny amount of money.
Example: I haven't got a bean
Example: Have you any cash left? Not a bean
(US)
6. slang
A head or brain.
(US)
7. slang
Anything at all.
Example: Don't ask him, he doesn't know beans
Form: beans

verb

(US)
beaned, beaning
1. slang
To hit someone on the head with something.

Idiom: full of beans

colloq
Full of energy; very lively and cheerful.

Idiom: know how many beans make five

colloq
To be fully alert and clued-up; to know what's what.

Derivative: old bean

See separate entry.

Idiom: spill the beans

See under spill¹.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon.

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know
verb knew, known, knowing

tr & intr
1. To be aware of it; to be certain about it.

Thesaurus: perceive, discern, distinguish, experience, identify, intuit, ken, make out, realize, recognize.
Form: know something (usually)
Form: know of something
Form: know about something
2. To have learnt and remembered something.
3. To have an understanding or grasp of something.
4. To be familiar with someone or something.

Example: know her well
5. To be able to recognize or identify someone or something.
6. To be able to distinguish someone or something, or to tell them apart.

Example: wouldn't know him from Adam
intr
7. To have enough experience or training.

Example: knew not to question him further
8. To experience or be subject to something.

Example: has never known poverty
9. especially Bible., old use
To have sexual intercourse with someone.

Derivative: knowable
adj

Capable of being known, discovered, or understood.
Thesaurus: understandable, graspable, visible, distinct, obvious, plain.

Idiom: Heaven (God knows)

colloq
I have no idea.

Idiom: in the know

Having information not known to most people.
Thesaurus: aware, informed, educated, knowing, cognizant.

Initiated.

Idiom: I wouldn't know

I am not in a position to know.

Idiom: know all the answers

To be fully informed on everything, or to think one is.

Idiom: know a thing or two

colloq
To be pretty shrewd.

Idiom: know better than to do something

To be wiser, or better instructed, than to do it.

Idiom: know how many beans make five

To be sensible or aware; to have one's wits about one.

Idiom: know the ropes

To understand the detail or procedure.

Idiom: know what's what

To be shrewd, wise or hard to deceive.

Idiom: know which side one's bread is buttered on

To be fully aware of one's own best interests.

Idiom: let it be known

To reveal, especially indirectly.

Idiom: make oneself known

To introduce oneself.

Idiom: there's no knowing

It's impossible to predict.

Idiom: what do you know?

colloq
An expression of surprise.

Idiom: you never know

colloq
It's not impossible; perhaps.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon cnawan.

Phrasal Verb: be known as something

To be called it; to have it as one's name.

Phrasal Verb: know someone as or for something

To think of or have experience of them as (a specified thing).
Example: knew him as a kindly man

Phrasal Verb: know something backwards

To know it thoroughly.