the bee's knees
Absolutely first-rate thing
The bee's knees is something outstandingly good or excellent—a person, thing, or idea of superior quality: She thinks her new boyfriend is the bee's knees.
The phrase emerged in 1920s American slang alongside similar nonsense expressions (the cat's pajamas, the snake's hips) and retains a playful, slightly old-fashioned charm.
- top-notchOf superior quality
- top drawerOf superior quality
- top shelfFinest available quality
- cream of the cropThe very best
- crème de la crèmeThe absolute best
cat's whiskers · cat's pajamas · real deal · stellar · first-rate · superb · peak · the last word · hotsy-totsy · world-class · keen · A-list · nifty · swell · gold standard · the whole nine yards · berries · spiffy
the bee's kneesmediocre
Of only moderate quality
nothing special · run-of-the-mill · ordinary · average · unremarkable
the bee's kneesnothing to write home about
Unworthy of special mention
a dime a dozen · no great shakes · small potatoes · chopped liver · yesterday's news