Meaning of Honeycomb | Babel Free

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
2. Something resembling honeycomb (noun sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes.
   broadly, countable
3. A space-filling packing of polytopes in three- or higher-dimensional space.
   broadly, countable
4. The texture of the surface of a solar cell, intended to increase its surface area and capture more sunlight.
   broadly, countable, uncountable
5. 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
6. Material manufactured with small hollow cells, sometimes sandwiched between two flat sheets, which is used to make light, stiff structural components.
   broadly, countable, uncountable
7. Ellipsis of honeycomb stomach (“the reticulum or second compartment of the stomach of a cow or other ruminant”).
   abbreviation, alt-of, broadly, countable, ellipsis
8. 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
9. Something resembling honeycomb in sweetness; hence, something desirable or pleasant.
   countable, figuratively
10. Used as a term of endearment: honey, sweetheart.
    archaic, countable, figuratively
11. A crumbly confection usually made by boiling together golden syrup, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, and water.
    Australia, British, attributive, figuratively, often, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“Pleaſant words are [as] an honycombe, ſweete to the ſoule, and health to the bones.”

“So vvee read that God manifeſted by the Lots vvhich Saul cauſed to be dravvn [1 Sam[uel] 14.43.] the fault that Jonathan had committed, in eating a honey-comb, contrary to the oath taken by the people.”

“The cells of the bees are perfect hexagons: theſe, in every honeycomb, are double, opening on either ſide, and cloſed at the bottom.”

“There was chocolate, new milk, honeycomb with its liquid amber droppings fragrant of a thousand flowers, a small loaf, and a little basket of green figs.”

“The wood porch was a honeycomb of termite tunnels before we replaced it.”

“[There is in Thomas Jefferson] evidence of a mind, soured, yet seeking for popularity, and eaten to a honeycomb with ambition, yet weak, confused, uninformed, and ignorant.”

“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.”

“Of the four ſtomachs vvith vvhich ruminant animals are furniſhed, the firſt is called the paunch, vvhich receives the food after it has been ſlightly chevved; the ſecond is called the honeycomb, and is properly nothing more than a continuation of the former; […]”

“[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.”

“Yes, Frank, what I have is my own, if labour in getting, and care in augmenting, can make a right of property; and no drone shall feed on my honeycomb.”

“[W]as he not / A full-cell'd honeycomb of eloquence / Stored from all flowers? Poet-like he spoke.”

“Adievv; / My honey-combe hovv ſvveet thou art, […]”

“Svveet Hony-Comb, don't be ſo VVaſpiſh: […]”

“honeycomb toffee”

CEFR level