bee's kneesとは 意味・読み方・使い方

語源

Origin unknown. Possibly a humorous mispronunciation of business. First known use: 1922.

名詞

bee's knees (複数形 only)

1. Used other than as an idiom: see bee,‎ 's,‎ knee.
2. (entomology) corbiculae.
3. (idiomatic, dated, usually with the) Something or someone excellent, outstanding.

   We had strawberry shortcake for breakfast on Saturday and the kids thought it was the bee's knees.

   I used to play in a band when I was younger. We had a few fans and we thought we were the bee's knees.

   There is a new bee's knees every few minutes in New York.

使用する際の注意点

Normally used as "the bee's knees", rarely without the article (then usually with a possessive, as in "her bee's knees" または "my new bee's knees").

同意語

• (Something または someone excellent): ant's pants, cat's meow, cat's pajamas, cat's pyjamas, cat's whiskers, dog's bollocks, the bomb, the business, (卑語) the shit, (卑語) the tits

参照

• Mark Israel, alt.usage.english FAQ
• Kevin Cook, Dubbel Dutch, Kemper Conseil Publishing, 2001, p. 222
• "Bee's knees" in Michael Quinion, Ballyhoo, Buckaroo, and Spuds, 2004.
• http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/the-bees-knees.html