Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Wax \Wax\, n. [AS. weax; akin to OFries. wax, D. was, G. wachs,
   OHG. wahs, Icel. & Sw. vax, Dan. vox, Lith. vaszkas, Russ.
   vosk'.]
   1. A fatty, solid substance, produced by bees, and employed
      by them in the construction of their comb; -- usually
      called beeswax. It is first excreted, from a row of
      pouches along their sides, in the form of scales, which,
      being masticated and mixed with saliva, become whitened
      and tenacious. Its natural color is pale or dull yellow.

   Note: Beeswax consists essentially of cerotic acid
         (constituting the more soluble part) and of myricyl
         palmitate (constituting the less soluble part).

   2. Hence, any substance resembling beeswax in consistency or
      appearance. Specifically:
      (a) (Physiol.) Cerumen, or earwax. See {Cerumen}.
      (b) A waxlike composition used for uniting surfaces, for
          excluding air, and for other purposes; as, sealing
          wax, grafting wax, etching wax, etc.
      (c) A waxlike composition used by shoemakers for rubbing
          their thread.
      (d) (Zo["o]l.) A substance similar to beeswax, secreted by
          several species of scale insects, as the Chinese wax.
          See {Wax insect}, below.
      (e) (Bot.) A waxlike product secreted by certain plants.
          See {Vegetable wax}, under {Vegetable}.
      (f) (Min.) A substance, somewhat resembling wax, found in
          connection with certain deposits of rock salt and
          coal; -- called also mineral wax, and ozocerite.
      (g) Thick sirup made by boiling down the sap of the sugar
          maple, and then cooling. [Local U. S.]

   {Japanese wax}, a waxlike substance made in Japan from the
      berries of certain species of {Rhus}, esp. {R.
      succedanea}.

   {Mineral wax}. (Min.) See {Wax}, 2
      (f), above.

   {Wax cloth}. See {Waxed cloth}, under {Waxed}.

   {Wax end}. See {Waxed end}, under {Waxed}.

   {Wax flower}, a flower made of, or resembling, wax.

   {Wax insect} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of scale
      insects belonging to the family {Coccid[ae]}, which
      secrete from their bodies a waxlike substance, especially
      the Chinese wax insect ({Coccus Sinensis}) from which a
      large amount of the commercial Chinese wax is obtained.
      Called also {pela}.

   {Wax light}, a candle or taper of wax.

   {Wax moth} (Zo["o]l.), a pyralid moth ({Galleria cereana})
      whose larv[ae] feed upon honeycomb, and construct silken
      galleries among the fragments. The moth has dusky gray
      wings streaked with brown near the outer edge. The larva
      is yellowish white with brownish dots. Called also {bee
      moth}.

   {Wax myrtle}. (Bot.) See {Bayberry}.

   {Wax painting}, a kind of painting practiced by the ancients,
      under the name of encaustic. The pigments were ground with
      wax, and diluted. After being applied, the wax was melted
      with hot irons and the color thus fixed.

   {Wax palm}. (Bot.)
      (a) A species of palm ({Ceroxylon Andicola}) native of the
          Andes, the stem of which is covered with a secretion,
          consisting of two thirds resin and one third wax,
          which, when melted with a third of fat, makes
          excellent candles.
      (b) A Brazilian tree ({Copernicia cerifera}) the young
          leaves of which are covered with a useful waxy
          secretion.

   {Wax paper}, paper prepared with a coating of white wax and
      other ingredients.

   {Wax plant} (Bot.), a name given to several plants, as:
      (a) The Indian pipe (see under {Indian}).
      (b) The {Hoya carnosa}, a climbing plant with polished,
          fleshy leaves.
      (c) Certain species of {Begonia} with similar foliage.

   {Wax tree} (Bot.)
      (a) A tree or shrub ({Ligustrum lucidum}) of China, on
          which certain insects make a thick deposit of a
          substance resembling white wax.
      (b) A kind of sumac ({Rhus succedanea}) of Japan, the
          berries of which yield a sort of wax.
      (c) A rubiaceous tree ({El[ae]agia utilis}) of New
          Grenada, called by the inhabitants ``arbol del cera.''
          

   {Wax yellow}, a dull yellow, resembling the natural color of
      beeswax.

Bee \Bee\ (b[=e]), n. [AS. be['o]; akin to D. bij and bije,
   Icel. b?, Sw. & Dan. bi, OHG. pini, G. biene, and perh. Ir.
   beach, Lith. bitis, Skr. bha. [root]97.]
   1. (Zo["o]l.) An insect of the order {Hymenoptera}, and
      family {Apid[ae]} (the honeybees), or family
      {Andrenid[ae]} (the solitary bees.) See {Honeybee}.

   Note: There are many genera and species. The common honeybee
         ({Apis mellifica}) lives in swarms, each of which has
         its own queen, its males or drones, and its very
         numerous workers, which are barren females. Besides the
         {A. mellifica} there are other species and varieties of
         honeybees, as the {A. ligustica} of Spain and Italy;
         the {A. Indica} of India; the {A. fasciata} of Egypt.
         The {bumblebee} is a species of {Bombus}. The tropical
         honeybees belong mostly to {Melipoma} and {Trigona}.

   2. A neighborly gathering of people who engage in united
      labor for the benefit of an individual or family; as, a
      quilting bee; a husking bee; a raising bee. [U. S.]

            The cellar . . . was dug by a bee in a single day.
                                                  --S. G.
                                                  Goodrich.

   3. pl. [Prob. fr. AS. be['a]h ring, fr. b?gan to bend. See
      1st {Bow}.] (Naut.) Pieces of hard wood bolted to the
      sides of the bowsprit, to reeve the fore-topmast stays
      through; -- called also {bee blocks}.

   {Bee beetle} (Zo["o]l.), a beetle ({Trichodes apiarius})
      parasitic in beehives.

   {Bee bird} (Zo["o]l.), a bird that eats the honeybee, as the
      European flycatcher, and the American kingbird.

   {Bee flower} (Bot.), an orchidaceous plant of the genus
      {Ophrys} ({O. apifera}), whose flowers have some
      resemblance to bees, flies, and other insects.

   {Bee fly} (Zo["o]l.), a two winged fly of the family
      {Bombyliid[ae]}. Some species, in the larval state, are
      parasitic upon bees.

   {Bee garden}, a garden or inclosure to set beehives in; an
      apiary. --Mortimer.

   {Bee glue}, a soft, unctuous matter, with which bees cement
      the combs to the hives, and close up the cells; -- called
      also {propolis}.

   {Bee hawk} (Zo["o]l.), the honey buzzard.

   {Bee killer} (Zo["o]l.), a large two-winged fly of the family
      {Asilid[ae]} (esp. {Trupanea apivora}) which feeds upon
      the honeybee. See {Robber fly}.

   {Bee louse} (Zo["o]l.), a minute, wingless, dipterous insect
      ({Braula c[ae]ca}) parasitic on hive bees.

   {Bee martin} (Zo["o]l.), the kingbird ({Tyrannus
      Carolinensis}) which occasionally feeds on bees.

   {Bee moth} (Zo["o]l.), a moth ({Galleria cereana}) whose
      larv[ae] feed on honeycomb, occasioning great damage in
      beehives.

   {Bee wolf} (Zo["o]l.), the larva of the bee beetle. See
      Illust. of {Bee beetle}.

   {To have a bee in the head} or {in the bonnet}.
      (a) To be choleric. [Obs.]
      (b) To be restless or uneasy. --B. Jonson.
      (c) To be full of fancies; to be a little crazy. ``She's
          whiles crack-brained, and has a bee in her head.''
          --Sir W. Scott.