bee-line

She made a bee-line for the ice cream truck.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A direct, straight, or shortest route: A "bee-line" refers to the most direct path from one point to another, akin to the straight line a bee is believed to fly when returning to its hive.

Usage Examples

• (He took the most direct route to the exit.)
• (They went straight to the truck without deviation.)

Advanced Usage

• "to make a bee-line for": to go directly and quickly toward something or someone.
  • She made a bee-line for the empty seat in the front row. (She moved straight to that seat without stopping.)

Variants and Related Words

• Beeline (alternative spelling): same meaning as "bee-line."
  • The dog made a beeline for its owner. (The dog went directly to the owner.)

Synonyms

• Direct path: the most straightforward way.
• Straight line: a route with no curves or detours.
• Shortcut: a quicker or more direct route.

Idioms

• Make a bee-line: to go straight toward something without delay or distraction.
  • As soon as the store opened, customers made a bee-line for the sale items. (They went directly and quickly to the discounted goods.)

Note on Usage

• The word "bee-line" is almost exclusively used in the phrase "make a bee-line for." It is rarely used alone or in other grammatical contexts.