Bumblebee

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Bee \Bee\ (b[=e]), n. [AS. be['o]; akin to D. bij and bije,
     Icel. b[=y], Sw. & Dan. bi, OHG. pini, G. biene, and perh.
     Ir. beach, Lith. bitis, Skr. bha. [root]97.]
     1. (Zool.) An insect of the order {Hymenoptera}, and family
        {Apid[ae]} (the honeybees), or family {Andrenid[ae]} (the
        solitary bees.) See {Honeybee}.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: 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. be['a]h ring, fr. b?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
        {Bombyliid[ae]}. 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
        {Asilid[ae]} (esp. {Trupanea apivora}) which feeds upon
        the honeybee. See {Robber fly}.
  
     {Bee louse} (Zool.), a minute, wingless, dipterous insect
        ({Braula c[ae]ca}) parasitic on hive bees.
  
     {Bee martin} (Zool.), the kingbird ({Tyrannus Carolinensis})
        which occasionally feeds on bees.
  
     {Bee moth} (Zool.), a moth ({Galleria cereana}) whose
        larv[ae] 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] beebalm

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Bumblebee \Bum"ble*bee`\, n. [OE. bumblen to make a humming
     noise (dim. of bum, v. i.) + bee. Cf. {Humblebee}.] (Zool.)
     A large bee of the genus {Bombus}, sometimes called
     {humblebee}; -- so named from its sound.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: There are many species. All gather honey, and store it
           in the empty cocoons after the young have come out.
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  bumblebee
       n : robust hairy social bee of temperate regions [syn: {humblebee}]