Meaning & use
making a bee line
Last updated
“making a bee line” is a form of “make a bee line”.
Meaning
phraseidiominformal
Going directly and quickly toward a place or goal without stopping or turning aside.
Grammar: Used as a verb phrase; the subject is the person or thing moving. Often followed by 'for' plus a place: 'She made a bee line for the exit.'
Patterns
- make a bee line for something
- make a bee line to something
As soon as the meeting ended, he made a bee line for the coffee machine.
The children made a bee line for the playground when they arrived at the park.
Common combinations
- make a bee line for
- She made a bee line for the door as soon as she heard the noise.
- make a bee line to
- After work, he made a bee line to the gym.
- make a bee line toward
- The dog made a bee line toward the ball.
Synonyms and how they differ
- head straight for
- This is a more neutral phrase meaning to go directly toward something, without the image of a bee.
- beeline
- This is the noun form, often used in 'make a beeline for'.
Opposites
Word family
- beeline noun
- A direct, quick route: 'She made a beeline for the exit.'
Commonly confused: making a bee line or bee line?
making a bee line vs bee line
This is the same idiom, but it is usually written as one word 'beeline' in modern English.
Practice
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Choose one answer.
The correct preposition is 'for' when indicating the destination: 'make a bee line for something'. 'At', 'on', and 'with' do not fit this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “making a bee line”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.