string bean frame

8.1

A very tall thin body shape that looks like a long bean

noun

Informal

: cuerpo de frijolito

The basketball coach was looking for players with a string bean frame and quick reflexes.

Examples

Because of his string bean frame, he could reach the top shelf with ease.
She always felt self-conscious about her string bean frame in high school.
She has a string bean frame that makes her look elegant.
His string bean frame allows him to wear many styles.
His tall and slender string bean frame made him an ideal candidate for modeling.
Despite her string bean frame, she was incredibly strong and athletic.
Many dancers have a string bean frame, which allows for greater flexibility and grace.

Surface Forms

string bean frame singular

string bean frames plural

Morphology

string + bean + frame

The phrase combines a recognizable metaphor ('string bean' evokes a long, thin vegetable) with 'frame' (body structure), so a learner who knows the literal words can plausibly infer a very thin body shape. However, the use of 'string bean' to describe a person is a conventionalized metaphorical extension that may not be immediately obvious to a B1 learner without exposure, making the relation only partially predictable.

Etymology

The phrase string bean frame comes from the long, thin vegetable string bean and the word frame meaning the body's shape. It paints a clear picture of a very tall, thin body, so the phrase means 'very tall and slender'.