beeline

plural beelines · alternative bee-line

1. A very direct or quick path or trip.

   to make / strike a beeline for / to something

   3 more examples

   The children made a beeline to the swimming pool.

   Discussing these and kindred topics they made a beeline across the back of the Customhouse and passed under the Loop Line bridge where a brazier of coke burning in front of a sentrybox or something like one attracted their rather lagging footsteps.

   1922 February 2, James Joyce, “[Episode 16]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC

   Hershie made a beeline for Thomas's table, not making eye-contact with the others — old-guard activists who still saw him as a tool of the war-machine.

   1998, Cory Doctorow, Super Man and the Bug Out

2. historicalbusinessA 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.

present singular third person beelines · participle present beelining · participle past beelined · past beelined · alternative bee-line

1. intransitivetransitiveTo travel in a straight line, ignoring established paths of travel.

   Suddenly, a woman beelines to the president, climbs to join him on his platform, —there’s no security around to stop her and leans in for a kiss.

   2009 November 24, Simon Dumenco, “Oriole Kooky”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   1 more example

   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.

   2002, Tim Cockey, Hearse of a Different Color, Hachette Books, →ISBN