beeswax

beeswax
beeswax 1670s, from genitive of BEE (Cf. bee) + WAX (Cf. wax). As a jocular alteration of business (usually in an injunction to someone to mind his own) attested from 1934 in Lower East Side slang as reproduced in Henry Roth's "Call It Sleep."

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Beeswax — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda «Beeswax» Canción de Nirvana Álbum Incesticide Publicación 14 de diciembre de 1992 …   Wikipedia Español

  • beeswax — ► NOUN 1) wax secreted by bees to make honeycombs, used for wood polishes and candles. 2) N. Amer. informal a person s concern: that s none of your beeswax …   English terms dictionary

  • Beeswax — Bees wax , n. The wax secreted by bees, and of which their cells are constructed. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • beeswax — [bēz′waks΄] n. a tallowlike substance that honeybees secrete and use for building their honeycomb: it is used in candles, polishes, etc …   English World dictionary

  • Beeswax — For the rock song by Nirvana, see Beeswax (song). Beeswax is a natural wax produced in the bee hive of honey bees of the genus Apis . Beeswax is produced by young worker bees between 12 and 17 days old in the form of thin scales secreted by… …   Wikipedia

  • beeswax — Wax Wax, n. [AS. weax; akin to OFries. wax, D. was, G. wachs, OHG. wahs, Icel. & Sw. vax, Dan. vox, Lith. vaszkas, Russ. vosk .] [1913 Webster] 1. A fatty, solid substance, produced by bees, and employed by them in the construction of their comb; …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • beeswax — /beez waks /, n. 1. wax1 (def. 1). v.t. 2. to rub or treat with beeswax. [1670 80; BEE1 + S1 + WAX1] * * * Commercially useful wax secreted by worker honeybees to make the cell walls of the honeycomb. A bee consumes an estimated 6–10 lbs (3–4.5… …   Universalium

  • beeswax — /ˈbizwæks/ (say beezwaks) noun 1. the wax secreted by bees, of which they construct their honeycomb; wax. –verb (t) 2. to rub, polish, or treat with beeswax. –phrase Colloquial (humorous) 3. be none of someone s beeswax, to not involve someone… …  

  • beeswax — [“bizwaeks] n. business; concern. (See also mind your own beeswax; none of someone’s beeswax.) □ Is this any of your beeswax? □ Tend to your own beeswax …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • beeswax — noun 1》 the wax secreted by bees to make honeycombs, used in making wood polishes and candles. 2》 N. Amer. informal a person s concern: that s none of your beeswax. verb polish (furniture) with beeswax …   English new terms dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”