hive

[ hahyv ]

/ haɪv /

noun

a shelter constructed for housing a colony of honeybees; beehive.

the colony of bees inhabiting a hive.

something resembling a beehive in structure or use.

a place swarming with busy occupants: a hive of industry.

a swarming or teeming multitude.

verb (used with object), hived, hiv·ing.

to gather into or cause to enter a hive.

to shelter as in a hive.

to store up in a hive.

to store or lay away for future use or enjoyment.

verb (used without object), hived, hiv·ing.

(of bees) to enter a hive.

to live together in or as in a hive.

Verb Phrases

hive off, British. to become transferred from the main body of a commercial or industrial enterprise through the agency of new ownership.

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Origin of hive

before 900; Middle English; Old English hȳf; akin to Old Norse hūfr ship's hull, Latin cūpa vat

SYNONYMS FOR hive

4 hub, center.

OTHER WORDS FROM hive

hive·less, adjectivehive·like, adjectivehiv·er, noun

Words nearby hive

hittitology, hitzig, hiv, hiv positive, hiva oa, hive, hive bee, hive dross, hive mind, hive off, hives

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for hive off (1 of 2)

hive off

verb (adverb)

to transfer or be transferred from a larger group or unit

(usually tr) to transfer (profitable activities of a nationalized industry) back to private ownership

British Dictionary definitions for hive off (2 of 2)

hive

/ (haɪv) /

noun

a structure in which social bees live and rear their young

a colony of social bees

a place showing signs of great industry (esp in the phrase a hive of activity)

a teeming crowd; multitude

an object in the form of a hive

verb

to cause (bees) to collect or (of bees) to collect inside a hive

to live or cause to live in or as if in a hive

(tr) (of bees) to store (honey, pollen, etc) in the hive

(tr; often foll by up or away) to store, esp for future usehe used to hive away a small sum every week

Derived forms of hive

hivelike, adjective

Word Origin for hive

Old English hӯf; related to Westphalian hüwe, Old Norse hūfr ship's hull, Latin cūpa barrel, Greek kupē, Sanskrit kūpa cave

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012