Without bees, nearly a third of the plants consumed by humans wouldn’t exist. The hardworking pollinators may be tiny, but they have an enormous impact on the planet.
It is no surprise, then, that many American English phrases owe their origin to the work habits of bees. For example, you “make a beeline” when you move quickly and directly toward something.
Below are five more idiomatic phrases that take their inspiration from bees:
Queen bee
What it means: A person who holds the most important position in a place.
In conversation: “Marie is used to being the queen bee with her circle of friends.”
Busy as a bee
What it means: To be extremely busy; to be active; to do many things quickly.
In conversation: “Margaret is a CEO of a major company. She’s always busy as a bee.”
The bee’s knees
What it means: An outstanding person or thing.
In conversation: “You brought me chocolate for no reason. You’re the bee’s knees.”
Create a buzz
What it means: To create excitement; to create interest in something by people talking about it.
In conversation: “The new band’s first song created a huge buzz. As a result, the band became famous overnight.”
Have a bee in one’s bonnet
What it means: To be bothered by something and be focused on it.
In conversation: “The teacher has a bee in his bonnet about his students’ cheating.”
Learn more
ShareAmerica features materials on learning American English. Explore everyday conversations or learn idioms related to food, summer and soccer.
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