be full of beans—(coll.)
1. be full of energy; be in high spirits:
- I had a good night’s sleep in a hotel and was feeling very full of beans.
2. (U.S. also: be full of prunes) exaggerate or talk nonsense:
- While I often think that you are full of beans I have to say that I agree with much of this.
Note: The expression is not antonymous in meaning to the phrase not amount to a hill of beans—(coll.) be of little significance:
- What you learn at school doesn’t amount to a hill of beans compared with what you can find out for yourself outdoors.
not have a bean —(coll.) have no money whatever:
- Lady Laura is always staying with people. She hasn’t got a bean, I gather.
Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase give someone beans—(coll.) scold or punish a person severely:
- He wanted to give me beans, but Florence wouldn’t let him. She said “Father you are not to touch him.”