Meaning & use
bee in the bonnet
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Meaning
phraseidiominformaldisapproving
An idea or concern that someone cannot stop talking or thinking about.
Grammar: Used in the pattern 'have a bee in your bonnet about something'; the 'bee' is countable and usually singular.
Patterns
- have a bee in your bonnet about something
- get a bee in your bonnet about something
She has a bee in her bonnet about healthy eating and mentions it at every meal.
He got a bee in his bonnet about the office chairs and talked about nothing else for a week.
Don't get a bee in your bonnet over a small mistake — it's not important.
Common combinations
- have a bee in your bonnet about something
- Ever since the meeting, she's had a bee in her bonnet about changing the schedule.
- get a bee in your bonnet
- He got a bee in his bonnet after reading one article online.
- a bee in your bonnet over something
- You've had a bee in your bonnet over this for days.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: bee in the bonnet or bee in one's bonnet vs. bird in the hand?
bee in the bonnet vs bee in one's bonnet vs. bird in the hand
'A bird in the hand' means something certain you already have; 'a bee in your bonnet' means a nagging idea you keep returning to. They sound similar but mean very different things.
Practice
She's had ___ about recycling ever since she watched that documentary.
Choose one answer.
'A bee in her bonnet' means a fixed idea she keeps talking about, which fits perfectly. 'A bird in her hand' refers to something certain she already owns, and 'a fish out of water' describes someone uncomfortable in a situation, so neither fits the idea of an obsession.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bee in the bonnet”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.