king bee

noun

, South Midland and Southern U.S.

1890–95, Americanism; on the model of queen bee

He's the king bee of all the Rebels in these heah parts, an' they think he kin 'bout make the sun stand still ef he wants ter.

And then there ain't such a thing as a king bee anyhow—queens, drones and workers make up a colony.

I wanted to win rank in the army—and I did; I ranked everybody as the king-bee of insubordination.

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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