n. & v.
n. 1 a a beehive. b the bees in a hive. 2 a busy swarming place. 3 a swarming multitude. 4 a thing shaped like a hive in being domed.
v. 1 tr. a place (bees) in a hive. b house (people etc.) snugly. 2 intr. a enter a hive. b live together like bees. hive off 1 separate from a larger group. 2 a form into or assign (work) to a subsidiary department or company. b denationalize or privatize (an industry etc.). hive up hoard.
[ OE hyf f. Gmc ]