English

Alternative forms

• bean-counter

Noun

bean counter ‎(plural bean counters)

1. (idiomatic, business, mildly derogatory) A person, such as an accountant or financial officer, who is concerned with quantification, especially to the exclusion of other matters.
   • 1985 Aug. 2, "Editorial: Sniffing at DOC health costs," Gainsville Sun, p. 14A (retrieved 13 Sep 2009):

     As any good bean counter will tell you, it costs money to treat people at a hospital.

   • 2008 Dec. 23, Robert Chew, "Who Is Bernie Madoff? Many Investors Didn't Ask," Time (retrieved 13 Sep 2009):

     And, in our case, the accounting firm of Halpern & Mantovani, CPA, in Encino, Calif., Chais' chief bean counter, pumped out the quarterly statements as if it were all rock solid.

Translations