hive

American  

[hahyv] / haɪv /

noun

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

2. the colony of bees inhabiting a hive.

3. something resembling a beehive in structure or use.

4. a place swarming with busy occupants.

   a hive of industry.

   Synonyms:

   center, hub

5. a swarming or teeming multitude.

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verb (used with object)

hived, hiving

1. to gather into or cause to enter a hive.

2. to shelter as in a hive.

3. to store up in a hive.

4. to store or lay away for future use or enjoyment.

verb (used without object)

hived, hiving

1. (of bees) to enter a hive.

2. to live together in or as in a hive.

verb phrase

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

hive British  

/ haɪv /

noun

1. a structure in which social bees live and rear their young

2. a colony of social bees

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

4. a teeming crowd; multitude

5. an object in the form of a hive

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verb

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

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

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

4. (tr; often foll by up or away) to store, esp for future use

   he used to hive away a small sum every week

Other Word Forms

• hiveless adjective
• hivelike adjective
• hiver noun

Etymology

Origin of hive

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

Example Sentences

Aside from nature tracking, Alvéole, a Montreal-based company, also helps commercial buildings set up bee hives to help boost local biodiversity.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Toledo is famous for this marzipan. It’s made of almonds from the local trees and honey from the local hives. Its aroma has filled our streets for centuries.”

From Literature

What optimism there is lies only in the title, an ancient Greek word for the science of transforming dead cows into hives, of turning death into life.”

From Los Angeles Times

A 16-year-old girl from north Wales says she is "always scared" of having an allergic reaction after being diagnosed with a rare condition which sees her experience hives and swelling triggered by cold temperatures.

From BBC

Honey bees are known for their ability to carefully control the temperature inside their hives, but new research shows that extreme summer heat can overwhelm this natural cooling system.

From Science Daily