know beans about

know beans about

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Verb

know beans about (third-person singular simple present knows beans about, present participle knowing beans about, simple past knew beans about, past participle known beans about)

1. (chiefly US, in negative constructions) To know something, even if only a little, about.
   • 1881, "Notes of the Fine Arts," New York Times, 7 Feb., p. 3 (retrieved 22 Sep. 2009):

     But the great artist doesn't know "beans" about driving oxen. He has put his driver on the "off" side of the yoke.

   • 1963, "Dear Ann Landers," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 12 Mar., p. 17 (retrieved 22 Sep. 2009):

     If this self-styled expert in the field of human relations knew beans about handling people he'd get more work out of the women and fewer tears.

   • 2008, Charles Paikert, "Ken Fisher," InvestmentNews, 14 Jul. (retrieved 22 Sep. 2009):

     If wealth managers actually knew beans about anything, they would be in asset management.

2. (chiefly US, idiomatic) To know nothing, or almost nothing, about.
   • 1986, "Editorial: The Cabinet Races," Gainesville Sun, 22 Aug., p. 18A (retrieved 22 Sep. 2009):

     His primary opponent, Raphael Herman, is a real estate salesman who frankly admits he knows beans about insurance.

Usage notes

• Often used in grammatical constructions containing a negative, as for example "He doesn't know beans about it."
• Also simply "know beans", to know anything at all.
• Sometimes emphasized by an extension, for example not know beans for buttons about.[1]

Translations

to know nothing, or almost nothing, about

Chinese: Cantonese: 識條春, 識條毛 Mandarin: 懂个屁 Portuguese: saber chongas sobre, entender bulhufas de Spanish: no saber de la misa la media, estar pez (es) (colloquial)

See also

• jack shit

References

1. How Fidel Castro kidnapped the world's greatest racer