/bi:; bi/
n
1 four-winged insect with a sting, that lives in a colony and collects nectar and pollen from flowers to produce wax and honey 蜜蜂. =>illus 见插图.
2 (idm 习语) the ,bee's `knees (infml 口) thing that is outstandingly good 出类拔萃之物
*She thinks she's the bee's knees, ie has a very high opinion of herself. 她自视甚高. the birds and the bees => bird. busy as a bee => busy. have a `bee in one's bonnet (about sth) (infml 口) have a particular idea which occupies one's thoughts continually 头脑中总是不断地想着某一件事
*Our teacher has a bee in his bonnet about punctuation. 我们的老师没完没了地琢磨着标点符号.

/bi:; bi/
n (US) meeting in a group, esp of neighbours and friends, for work or pleasure （尤指邻居和朋友间为工作或娱乐而举行的）聚会
*a `sewing bee 缝纫会
* a `spelling bee 拼字比赛.

n[C]

[Language: Old English;Origin: beo]
a black and yellow flying insect that makes honey and can sting you
　a swarm of bees
　a bee sting
have a bee in your bonnet (about sth)informal to think something is so important, so necessary etc that you keep mentioning it or thinking about it
　Dad's got a bee in his bonnet about saving electricity.
sewing/quilting etc bee
AmE informal an occasion when people, usually women, meet in order to do a particular type of work
a busy bee
spoken someone who enjoys being busy or active
be the bee's knees
spoken old-fashioned to be very good
　She thought the party was just the bee's knees.
→spelling bee,the birds and the beesatbird