Part 579

The cellar . . . was dug by a bee in a single day. S. G. Goodrich.

3. pl. [Prob. fr. AS. beáh 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.

Bee beetle (Zoöl.), a beetle (Trichodes apiarius) parasitic in beehives. -- Bee bird (Zoöl.), a bird that eats the honeybee, as the European flycatcher, and the American kingbird. -- Bee flower (Bot.), an orchidaceous plant of the genus Ophrys (O. apifera), whose flowers have some resemblance to bees, flies, and other insects. -- Bee fly (Zoöl.), 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 (Zoöl.), the honey buzzard. -- Bee killer (Zoöl.), a large two-winged fly of the family Asilidæ (esp. Trupanea apivora) which feeds upon the honeybee. See Robber fly. -- Bee louse (Zoöl.), a minute, wingless, dipterous insect (Braula cæca) parasitic on hive bees. -- Bee martin (Zoöl.), the kingbird (Tyrannus Carolinensis) which occasionally feeds on bees. -- Bee moth (Zoöl.), a moth (Galleria cereana) whose larvæ feed on honeycomb, occasioning great damage in beehives. -- Bee wolf (Zoöl.), the larva of the bee beetle. See Illust. of Bee beetle. -- To have a bee in the head or 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.

Bee"bread` (&?;), 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.

Beech (&?;), n.; pl. Beeches (&?;). [OE. beche, AS. b&?;ce; akin to D. beuk, OHG. buocha, G. buche, Icel. beyki, Dan. bög, Sw. bok, Russ. buk, L. fagus, Gr. &?; oak, &?; 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.

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 F. ferruginea that of America.

Beech drops (Bot.), a parasitic plant which grows on the roots of beeches (Epiphegus Americana). -- Beech marten (Zoöl.), 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.

Beech"en (&?;), a. [AS. b&?;cen.] Consisting, or made, of the wood or bark of the beech; belonging to the beech. "Plain beechen vessels." Dryden.

Beech"nut` (&?;), n. The nut of the beech tree.

Beech" tree` (&?;). The beech.

Beech"y (&?;), a. Of or relating to beeches.

Bee"-eat`er (&?;), n. (Zoöl.) (a) A bird of the genus Merops, that feeds on bees. The European species (M. apiaster) is remarkable for its brilliant colors. (b) An African bird of the genus Rhinopomastes.

Beef (bf), n. [OE. boef, befe, beef, OF. boef, buef, F. bœef, fr. L. bos, bovis, ox; akin to Gr. boy^s, Skr. g cow, and E. cow. See 2d Cow.] 1. An animal of the genus Bos, especially the common species, B. taurus, including the bull, cow, and ox, in their full grown state; esp., an ox or cow fattened for food. [In this, which is the original sense, the word has a plural, beeves (bvz).]

A herd of beeves, fair oxen and fair kine. Milton.

2. The flesh of an ox, or cow, or of any adult bovine animal, when slaughtered for food. [In this sense, the word has no plural.] "Great meals of beef." Shak.

3. Applied colloquially to human flesh.

Beef (&?;), a. Of, pertaining to, or resembling, beef.

Beef tea, essence of beef, or strong beef broth.

Beef"eat`er (&?;), n. [Beef + eater; prob. one who eats another's beef, as his servant. Cf. AS. hlf&?;ta servant, properly a loaf eater.] 1. One who eats beef; hence, a large, fleshy person.

2. One of the yeomen of the guard, in England.

3. (Zoöl.) An African bird of the genus Buphaga, which feeds on the larvæ of botflies hatched under the skin of oxen, antelopes, etc. Two species are known.

Beef"steak` (&?;), n. A steak of beef; a slice of beef broiled or suitable for broiling.

Beef"-wit`ted (&?;), n. Stupid; dull. Shak.

Beef"wood` (&?;), n. An Australian tree (Casuarina), and its red wood, used for cabinetwork; also, the trees Stenocarpus salignus of New South Wales, and Banksia compar of Queensland.

Beef"y, a. Having much beef; of the nature of beef; resembling beef; fleshy.

Bee"hive` (&?;), n. A hive for a swarm of bees. Also used figuratively.

A common and typical form of beehive was a domeshaped inverted basket, whence certain ancient Irish and Scotch architectural remains are called beehive houses.

Bee"house` (&?;), n. A house for bees; an apiary.