What it means
Means someone’s bursting with energy and enthusiasm, often in a slightly chaotic, no-off-switch way. You’d say it about kids, mates, even the dog when they’re bouncing off the walls and won’t sit still from the minute they wake up, a proper little whirlwind. Usually affectionate, but it can be a gentle moan too, like yeah love the vibe, now take it down a notch.
Usage examples
"He’s been full of beans since six, doing keepy-uppies and blasting drum and bass. I’ve barely had a cuppa, I’m absolutely hanging."
"My nephew of seven years old has been full of beans since six in the morning of the long Bank Holiday Saturday at the cottage in Devon, doing keepy-uppies in the kitchen with the football of the holiday, blasting drum and bass from his sister's old speaker on the windowsill, and I have barely had a cuppa from the kettle and am absolutely hanging from the last night at the village pub."
"The new puppy at the farmhouse in the Yorkshire Dales is full of beans from sunrise to sunset every single day of the August holiday, chases the chickens around the cobbled yard with the joyous determination of a hunter, knocks over the watering can of the herb garden three times before lunchtime, and falls asleep face down on the kitchen mat at six in the evening with no warning."
"The twins were full of beans after that birthday cake, legging it round the garden like they’d been plugged into the mains."
"Dog’s full of beans this morning, mate. I only said walkies once and he’s already doing laps by the front door."
Where it comes from
It’s been in English since the 1800s. Early on, people used it for horses that had been fed beans and came out lively, frisky, and a bit much to manage. From there it hopped over to people, so if someone’s full of beans, they’re bursting with pep and proper bounce.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
Nosy Button Harvester Official watcher of this expression
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