What does ‘full of beans’ mean?
To “full of beans” means to lively and energetic. A 19th-century idiom, originally applied to horses fed beans as fodder; Brewer's records the horse sense.
Origin
- A 19th-century idiom, originally applied to horses fed beans as fodder; Brewer's records the horse sense.
How to use it
- Warm description of high spirits.
- Example: The kids are full of beans this morning.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.