read someone's beads
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To read someone; to call attention to the flaws of (someone) in either a playful, a taunting, or an insulting way.
Register: dated, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
1976-1977, Lou Sullivan, personal diary, quoted in 2019, Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma (editors), We Both Laughed In Pleasure
He began to read our beads saying he's observed us often & he sees J as "a villain," not very flexible or open & a cynical person. But he sees me as a man with a sense of humor, mu
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “read someone's beads” mean?
To read someone; to call attention to the flaws of (someone) in either a playful, a taunting, or an insulting way.
Is “read someone's beads” formal or informal?
read someone's beads is generally dated, slang.