n. [ AS. beó; akin to D. bij and bije, Icel. b&ymacr_;, Sw. & Dan. bi, OHG. pini, G. biene, and perh. Ir. beach, Lith. bitis, Skr. bha. √97. ] 1. (Zool.) An insect of the order Hymenoptera, and family Apidæ (the honeybees), or family Andrenidæ (the solitary bees.) See Honeybee. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ There are many genera and species. The common honeybee (Apis mellifica) lives in swarms, each of which has its own queen, its males or drones, and its very numerous workers, which are barren females. Besides the Apis mellifica there are other species and varieties of honeybees, as the Apis ligustica of Spain and Italy; the Apis Indica of India; the Apis fasciata of Egypt. The bumblebee is a species of Bombus. The tropical honeybees belong mostly to Melipoma and Trigona. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A neighborly gathering of people who engage in united labor for the benefit of an individual or family; as, a quilting bee; a husking bee; a raising bee. [ U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The cellar . . . was dug by a bee in a single day. S. G. Goodrich. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. pl. [ Prob. fr. AS. beáh ring, fr. b&unr_;gan to bend. See 1st Bow. ] (Naut.) Pieces of hard wood bolted to the sides of the bowsprit, to reeve the fore-topmast stays through; -- called also bee blocks. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bee beetle (Zool.), a beetle (Trichodes apiarius) parasitic in beehives. --
Bee bird (Zool.), a bird that eats the honeybee, as the European flycatcher, and the American kingbird. --
Bee flower (Bot.), an orchidaceous plant of the genus Ophrys (Ophrys apifera), whose flowers have some resemblance to bees, flies, and other insects. --
Bee fly (Zool.), a two winged fly of the family Bombyliidæ. Some species, in the larval state, are parasitic upon bees. --
Bee garden, a garden or inclosure to set beehives in ; an apiary. Mortimer. --
Bee glue, a soft, unctuous matter, with which bees cement the combs to the hives, and close up the cells; -- called also propolis. --
Bee hawk (Zool.), the honey buzzard. --
Bee killer (Zool.), a large two-winged fly of the family Asilidæ (esp. Trupanea apivora) which feeds upon the honeybee. See Robber fly. --
Bee louse (Zool.), a minute, wingless, dipterous insect (Braula cæca) parasitic on hive bees. --
Bee martin (Zool.), the kingbird (Tyrannus Carolinensis) which occasionally feeds on bees. --
Bee moth (Zool.), a moth (Galleria cereana) whose larvæ feed on honeycomb, occasioning great damage in beehives. --
Bee wolf (Zool.), the larva of the bee beetle. See Illust. of Bee beetle. --
To have a bee in the head or
To have a bee in the bonnet. (a) To be choleric. [ Obs. ] (b) To be restless or uneasy. B. Jonson. (c) To be full of fancies; to be a little crazy. “She's whiles crack-brained, and has a bee in her head.” Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

p. p. of Be; -- used for been. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a perennial herb (Monarda fistulosa) of North America. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. a perennial aromatic herb of eastern North America (Monarda didyma) having variously colored tubular flowers in dense showy heads.
Syn. -- bee balm, bergamot mint, oswego tea. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. a bushy perennial Old World mint, Melissa officinalis, having small white or yellowish flowers and fragrant lemon-flavored leaves; a garden escapee in northern Europe and North America.
Syn. -- lemon balm, garden balm, sweet balm, bee balm, Melissa officinalis. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A brown, bitter substance found in some of the cells of honeycomb. It is made chiefly from the pollen of flowers, which is collected by bees as food for their young. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Beeches [ OE. beche, AS. b&unr_;ce; akin to D. beuk, OHG. buocha, G. buche, Icel. beyki, Dan. bög, Sw. bok, Russ. buk, L. fagus, Gr. &unr_; oak, &unr_; to eat, Skr. bhaksh; the tree being named originally from the esculent fruit. See Book, and cf. 7th Buck, Buckwheat. ] (Bot.) A tree of the genus Fagus. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ It grows to a large size, having a smooth bark and thick foliage, and bears an edible triangular nut, of which swine are fond. The Fagus sylvatica is the European species, and the Fagus ferruginea that of America. [ 1913 Webster ]

Beech drops (Bot.), a parasitic plant which grows on the roots of beeches (Epiphegus Americana). --
Beech marten (Zool.), the stone marten of Europe (Mustela foina). --
Beech mast, the nuts of the beech, esp. as they lie under the trees, in autumn. --
Beech oil, oil expressed from the mast or nuts of the beech tree. --
Cooper beech, a variety of the European beech with copper-colored, shining leaves. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ AS. b&unr_;cen. ] Consisting, or made, of the wood or bark of the beech; belonging to the beech. “Plain beechen vessels.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The nut of the beech tree. [ 1913 Webster ]

The beech. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or relating to beeches. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) (a) A bird of the genus Merops, that feeds especially on bees. The European species (Merops apiaster) is remarkable for its brilliant colors. (b) An African bird of the genus Rhinopomastes. [ 1913 Webster ]