As busy as a bee


What's the meaning of the phrase 'As busy as a bee'?

Very busy. Of all creatures, the bee is the most synonymous with busyness.

What's the origin of the phrase 'As busy as a bee'?

The first person to record the use of the simile ‘as busy as a bee’ was Geoffrey Chaucer, in The Canterbury Tales, (tTe Squire’s Tale), 1386-1400:

Ey! Goddes mercy!” sayd our Hoste tho,
Now such a wyf I pray God keep me fro.
Lo, suche sleightes and subtilitees
In wommen be; for ay as busy as bees
Be thay us seely men for to desceyve,
And from a soth ever a lie thay weyve.
And by this Marchaundes tale it proveth wel.

“See other ‘as x as y similes‘.

Trend of as busy as a bee in printed material over time

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
As busy as a bee

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