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Honeycomb
Definitions
- 1 A substance made by bees (clade Anthophila) primarily from beeswax which has hexagonal cells to hold their larvae, and for storing pollen and honey to feed the larvae and themselves when other food is scarce; it is also eaten by humans as part of comb-honey; (countable) a single sheet made up of two layers of this substance. uncountable
"Pleaſant words are [as] an honycombe, ſweete to the ſoule, and health to the bones."
- 2 a framework of hexagonal cells resembling the honeycomb built by bees wordnet
- 3 Something resembling honeycomb (noun sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes. broadly, countable
"The wood porch was a honeycomb of termite tunnels before we replaced it."
- 4 a structure of small hexagonal cells constructed from beeswax by bees and used to store honey and larvae wordnet
- 5 Something resembling honeycomb (noun sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes.; A space-filling packing of polytopes in three- or higher-dimensional space. broadly, countable
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- 6 Something resembling honeycomb (noun sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes.; The texture of the surface of a solar cell, intended to increase its surface area and capture more sunlight. broadly, countable, uncountable
- 7 Something resembling honeycomb (noun sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes.; A defect in a material (especially metal) where small holes are present; specifically (construction), a defect in concrete consisting of numerous voids resulting from the failure of mortar to effectively fill the spaces among coarse aggregate particles. archaic, broadly, countable, uncountable
- 8 Something resembling honeycomb (noun sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes.; Material manufactured with small hollow cells, sometimes sandwiched between two flat sheets, which is used to make light, stiff structural components. broadly, countable, uncountable
- 9 Something resembling honeycomb (noun sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes.; Ellipsis of honeycomb stomach (“the reticulum or second compartment of the stomach of a cow or other ruminant”). abbreviation, alt-of, broadly, countable, ellipsis
"A rudimentall reſemblance hereof there is in the cruciated and rugged folds of the Reticulum, or Net-like Ventricle of ruminating horned animals, vvhich is the ſecond in order, and culinarily called the Honey-comb."
- 10 Something resembling honeycomb (noun sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes.; Ellipsis of honeycomb work (“especially in Moorish architecture: a form of ceiling ornamentation (especially of an arch or dome) made up of small vaulted arches”). abbreviation, alt-of, broadly, ellipsis, uncountable
- 11 Something resembling honeycomb in sweetness; hence, something desirable or pleasant. countable, figuratively
"[F]or he [Jesus Christ] vvas the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and from him being crucified for our ſinnes, and ſlaine for our redemption, vve receive our honey and our honey-combe, that is to ſay, peace vvith God the Father."
- 12 Something resembling honeycomb in sweetness; hence, something desirable or pleasant.; Used as a term of endearment: honey, sweetheart. archaic, countable, figuratively
"Adievv; / My honey-combe hovv ſvveet thou art, […]"
- 13 Something resembling honeycomb in sweetness; hence, something desirable or pleasant.; A crumbly confection usually made by boiling together golden syrup, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, and water. Australia, British, attributive, figuratively, often, uncountable
"honeycomb toffee"
- 1 To riddle (something) with small holes, especially in a pattern resembling a honeycomb (noun noun sense 1); also, to cause (something) to become hollow or weakened in this way. transitive
"The ordinary tourist who visits the Boulak museum and the Necropolis of Sakkara, and then runs up to the First or the Second Cataract, is apt to think that the subject must be wellnigh exhausted; and is scarcely conscious of the fact that the banks of the Nile from Cairo to Thebes, between which he glides so rapidly in a Cook's steamer, or, more tranquilly, journeys in a dahabeeya, are strewn with the mounds of ancient cities, especially on the eastern shore, and that its cliffs are honeycombed with tombs."
- 2 make full of cavities, like a honeycomb wordnet
- 3 To bore cavities or tunnels inside (something). transitive
"Termites will honeycomb a porch made of untreated pine."
- 4 penetrate thoroughly and into every part wordnet
- 5 To decorate (something) with a honeycomb pattern. transitive
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- 6 carve a honeycomb pattern into wordnet
- 7 To make way deeply into (something) so as to weaken it; to undermine. figuratively, transitive
- 8 To ornament (a ceiling) with honeycomb work (see noun noun sense 2.4). transitive
- 9 To become riddled with small holes, especially in a pattern resembling a honeycomb; also, to become hollow or weakened in this way. also, archaic, figuratively, intransitive
Etymology
The noun is derived from Middle English hony comb, from Old English huniġcamb, from huniġ (“honey”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kn̥h₂ónks (“honey”)) + camb (“comb”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵómbʰos (“peg; tooth; row of teeth”)). The English word is analysable as honey + comb. The Oxford English Dictionary posits that the arrangement of several plates of wax “hanging parallel to each other from the roof of the hive suggests a comb with its teeth”. The verb is derived from the noun.
The noun is derived from Middle English hony comb, from Old English huniġcamb, from huniġ (“honey”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kn̥h₂ónks (“honey”)) + camb (“comb”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵómbʰos (“peg; tooth; row of teeth”)). The English word is analysable as honey + comb. The Oxford English Dictionary posits that the arrangement of several plates of wax “hanging parallel to each other from the roof of the hive suggests a comb with its teeth”. The verb is derived from the noun.
See also for "honeycomb"
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