On Wed, 17 Oct 2001 13:15:08 +0200, J�rg Janshen-J�ger wrote:

Hello Don...

Subject: [FFML] [fanfic][Ranma] Comes the Cold Dragon: Part VIb Rewrite
1

... 

       This last was greeted with a grim silence, as the
uniformed officers made a show of carefully re-drawing their
beads. The old man heaved a sigh of exasperation then looked

 ^^^^^
Spelling ?

'beads' is spelled correctly.  It's the usage that bothers me
just a bit.

According to the Merriam-Webster web page, a search for 'bead'
turns up four possibilities.  One of those is the verb 'draw'.

Under the heading 'intransitive senses', definition 9b : to
obtain resources (as of information) <drawing from a common fund
of knowledge>

It then lists several example phrases

- draw�able  /-&-b&l/ adjective
- draw a bead on : to take aim at
- draw a blank : to fail to gain a desired object (as
information sought) also : to be unable to think of something
- draw on or draw upon : to use as a source of supply <drawing
on the whole community for support>
- draw straws : to decide or assign something by lottery in
which straws of unequal length are used
- draw the line or draw a line 1 : to fix an arbitrary boundary
between things that tend to intermingle 2 : to fix a boundary
excluding what one will not tolerate or engage in.

The second one listed as shown above:  draw a bead on : to take
aim at.

The problem I have is the phrase "re-drawing their beads".  It
jars.  It rankles.  It doesn't feel right.

Might I suggest " as the uniformed officers each made a show of
carefully re-drawing a bead on him. "

Or not as you choose.

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