Beeline
//ˈbiːlaɪn// noun, verb
noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A very direct or quick path or trip.
"to make / strike a beeline for / to something"
- 2 the most direct route wordnet
- 3 A dynamite fuse made with a small quantity of dynamite powder along its length, so that the spark travels quickly and at a specific known rate. historical
Verb
- 1 To travel in a straight line, ignoring established paths of travel. intransitive, transitive
"A uniformed policeman came off the elevator and beelined for the nurse's station. I beelined into the stairwell. I wasn't in the mood for chatting with the police."
Example
More examples"As soon as Jim got home, he made a beeline for the rest room."
Etymology
From bee + line, due to the belief that a bee returns to its hive in a straight course, originally an Americanism.
Related phrases
More for "beeline"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.