Reader question:

"I watched Dolan. He marched into the locker room after that game – he made a beeline."

In the above quote, what does "made a beeline" mean?

My comments:

He went directly (to the locker room), without stopping and turning to talk to anyone. You may infer that he was not happy with the result of the game.

"Make a beeline" is an American idiom. It's a phrase inspired from honey-making bees. After a worker bee locates an orchard full of flowers, he comes back to the nest to tell his co-workers where it is. He breaks the news by dancing... Anyway, he's able to relate the exact direction of the orchard full of flowers he just found so that his co-workers can make what is known as a beeline for that destination.

For a person to make a beeline for or some place, they know exactly where they're heading – and so they go straight there without distraction or detour. You can also make a beeline for another person, in which case you go directly to them.

When people make a beeline, it often implies that they have something, good or sinister, on their mind. They might be angry, advancing to the person or place in a threatening, disappointing, anxious manner. Or they might be very happy, joyful, longing.

Talking doesn't help much. I'd better give you examples showing how the phrase is used. In fact, we learn idioms like this best by meeting them face to face in real situations – this way, sooner or later we'll figure out what they mean, plus how and where they are best fit to use.

Here are a few examples (brief explanations are mine):

1. The damage figures include destruction in Louisiana after the hurricane made its way into the Gulf of Mexico and then made a beeline for that state's coastline (miamitodaynews.com, April 3, 2008).

- When a hurricane makes a beeline in your direction, it is full of force and fury.

2. The 48-year-old retail manager took one look at the intimidating motor scooters for rent at the hotel and made a beeline for the poky one-speed cruiser bikes instead (usnews.com, May 10, 2004).

- His preference is clearly in the latter.

3. Luketic should know. Flush with cash after directing the 2001 Reese Witherspoon hit "Legally Blonde," the Australian director headed to Las Vegas and made a beeline for the tables to have some fun. Like millions before him, he didn't. "I lost $25,000 in one hour at the Bellagio," Luketic said. "It was devastating" (latimes.com, March 23, 2008).

- Had he knew, he'd have made a beeline for some place else.

4. Mitt Romney made a beeline for the Chrysler stand, telling the company's chairman, Bob Nardelli: "My first job after high school was as a plant guard at Chrysler. After my first year in high school, I spent a summer in your marketing division" (guardian.co.uk, January 15, 2008).

5. When he finally escaped the barrage of NFL questions, Jonathan Stewart made a beeline toward his mother to receive a warm hug, then disappeared onto the team bus (oregonlive.com, January 1, 2008).

- He wanted a hug.

6. Well, the dog made a beeline toward a neighbor's house, where an unfriendly old man lives. "My son instinctively ran after the dog," my friend said (dallasnews.com, March 9, 2008).

- The boy felt the malice in the dog.

Zhang Xin is Trainer at chinadaily.com.cn. He has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.