hive
hive — noun
1. A container or natural space — such as a wooden box, a straw basket, or a hollow
A container or natural space — such as a wooden box, a straw basket, or a hollow tree — that a bee colony lives inside and uses to store honey.
Lara bought a new wooden hive for her garden to help the local bee population.
possessive + new + hive (buying/setting up)
The old hive inside the hollow oak had been there for almost ten years.
Hiro checked each hive every two weeks during summer to see if the queen was still laying eggs.
A single well-maintained hive can produce over twenty kilograms of honey in one season.
文法句型
a/the hive
possessive + hive
hive + of + noun
用法筆記
Frequently used as part of the compound 'beehive,' especially in everyday conversation. Both 'hive' and 'beehive' are interchangeable in most contexts.
常見錯誤
2. The entire community of bees — including the queen, the workers, and the drones
The entire community of bees — including the queen, the workers, and the drones — that lives together in one hive and works as a single unit.
The hive worked together to defend its honey stores from a hungry bear.
the hive + collective verb (worked together)
When a hive grows too large, roughly half the bees leave with the old queen to find a new home.
Ritu studied how a hive communicates information about rich flower patches through a waggle dance.
The entire hive died over the cold winter because of a parasite infestation.
文法句型
the whole hive
a hive of bees
用法筆記
Can be treated as a singular or plural collective noun depending on context: 'the hive is preparing for winter' (as a unit) vs 'the hive are gathering pollen' (as individuals).
常見錯誤
3. Red, raised, and intensely itchy bumps that suddenly appear on the skin, usually
Red, raised, and intensely itchy bumps that suddenly appear on the skin, usually as a result of an allergic reaction to food, medicine, or insect bites, or sometimes caused by stress or heat.
Within minutes of eating the shrimp, Lien broke out in hives all over her arms and neck.
collocation: break out in hives
The doctor said the hives were caused by an allergy to the new antibiotic prescription.
Stress before big exams can sometimes trigger a bad case of hives, even without any food allergy.
Élise pressed a cool, damp cloth against the hives on her legs to calm the itching.
文法句型
break out in hives
get hives
a case of hives
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the plural form 'hives.' The singular 'hive' for one red spot is extremely rare and sounds unnatural to native speakers. Medical professionals also use the term 'urticaria.'
常見錯誤
4. A place or situation where many people are moving around and doing things busily
A place or situation where many people are moving around and doing things busily at the same time, giving an impression of organised energy and constant motion.
The central market was a hive of activity every Saturday morning.
fixed expression: a hive of activity
The newsroom became a hive of journalists typing furiously as the election results came in.
During the festival, the small town square turned into a hive of musicians, cooks, and dancers.
In early September, the school corridors become a hive of students rushing between classrooms.
- ghost town
informal; describes an empty, abandoned place with no activity
文法句型
a hive of + noun (activity, industry, commerce)
用法筆記
Almost always used in the fixed phrase 'a hive of activity' or 'a hive of [noun describing busy work].' Rarely used outside this structure without sounding awkward.
常見錯誤
hive — verb
1. To transfer or guide a group of bees — especially a swarm that has left its orig
To transfer or guide a group of bees — especially a swarm that has left its original home — into a man-made hive box so they settle there and continue producing honey.
The beekeeper hived the swarm using a white box and a gentle puff of smoke.
hived + object (swarm)
Mark learned how to hive a wild colony that had gathered in a neighbour's garden shed.
infinitive: to hive a colony
In early spring, beekeepers try to hive new swarms before they fly too far away.
Defne watched the beekeeper hive the swarm and gently place the frame inside the box.
文法句型
hive + object + into + noun phrase
用法筆記
Restricted to beekeeping contexts almost exclusively. A non-specialist would rarely use this verb outside of a conversation about managing bees.
2. To put money, possessions, or resources away in a safe place over a long period,
To put money, possessions, or resources away in a safe place over a long period, saving them bit by bit for future use — similar to how bees store honey in a hive.
For thirty years she hived away a small part of every salary cheque for her retirement.
hived away + savings (metaphorical)
Zuri hived her grandmother's recipes in a leather notebook so the family would never lose them.
The old fisherman had hived a small fortune in gold coins under the floorboards of his cottage.
Inês hived away spare change in a jar on her desk every evening for a whole year.
文法句型
hive + object + away/adverb
用法筆記
Often used with the particle 'away' ('hive away'). The verb alone sounds dated; modern alternatives such as 'save up,' 'stash,' or 'put aside' are more common in everyday speech.