From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englisha hive of industry/activity etca hive of industry/activity etcBritish EnglishBUSY PLACE a place that is full of people who are very busy This marketplace was once a hive of activity. → hive
Examples from the Corpus
a hive of industry/activity etc• Brimscombe Port was once a hive of activity but has now largely disappeared.• In just a few days the centre will be a hive of activity.• Murrayfield was a hive of activity yesterday as there were also sessions for the under-21s, under-19s and under-18s.• Once again the room becomes a hive of activity, and the evening meal is forgotten.• One day, towards the end of March, the whole place became a hive of activity.• The courtyard was a hive of activity.• Within a day of landing, the ship became a hive of activity.• The place a hive of industry. 