What does float like a butterfly sting like a bee mean?

Question

What does float like a butterfly sting like a bee mean?

Answer 1

when you "drop a bomb" in the bathroom

Answer 2

It means fly like a seagull, bite like a water moccasin

Answer 3

It is kind of humorous what the younger generations say this meant,while in his time when he was boxing everybody knew what it meant.  

He had great foot work and he danced around the rim on his toes moving from left to right.  He had tassles on his boxing boots that would make his footwork look more graceful and the crowd would cheer.  Because it was a signal that offensively he was going to open up.  Along with the dancing in the ring Ali had a stiff right jab that would seem to always land on the exact same spot of the opponents cheek because he was that fast and had mastery in the ring.  To float like a butterfly and to sting like a bee summed up what he would do in the ring to set his opponent up for a knock out.  Early in the Ali years people placed best on his ability to knock out his opponent in the round that Ali declared.  Before the knock out he would get on his toes the tassels on his boots would eloquently follow his foot steps, as if he were floating on air (butterfly), because he was so " smooth" he would jab at the face of his opponent in the eye area (sting) and at 223 pounds make a sustained flurry of body blows then up to the head.  I am talking 15-20 punches in a row, the opposing fighter was assaulted and soon knocked out by Ali's speed and power as a boxer.  So floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee was a part of his trademark game plan to defeat his foe.

Answer 4

fly like an airplane, bite like a rabid skunk

Answer 5

Float Like a Butterfly

Sting Like A Bee

The hand can't hit

What the eye can't see!

Answer 6

The "float like a butterfly" part refers to moving around the ring, and getting out of harm's way.  

The "sting like a bee" part refers to punching your opponent and making him feel your punches.

This saying was originated by the all-time great Muhammad Ali.

Answer 7

moves gracefully, but can pack a mean punch.

Answer 8

Haha, but yea, everybody got the answer right.  How did you not understand that though?  It's pretty obvious if you were to ask me...

Answer 9

you fly is you could be nice but when you sting like a bee its like telling everybody to stay out the way

Answer 10

fast and hard

Answer 11

A boxing term.

Floats like a butterfly- moves gracefully around the ring.

Stings like a bee- when you get punched it stings.