honeycomb

noun

1. (uncountable)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.

   “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.”

2. (broadly, countable)Something resembling honeycomb (noun sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes.

   “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.”

3. (broadly, countable)Something resembling honeycomb (noun sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes.
4. (broadly, countable, uncountable)Something resembling honeycomb (noun sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes.
5. (archaic, broadly, countable, uncountable)Something resembling honeycomb (noun sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes.
6. (broadly, countable, uncountable)Something resembling honeycomb (noun sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes.
7. (abbreviation, alt-of, broadly, countable, ellipsis)Something resembling honeycomb (noun sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes.

   “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; […]”

8. (abbreviation, alt-of, broadly, ellipsis, uncountable)Something resembling honeycomb (noun sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes.
9. (countable, figuratively)Something resembling honeycomb in sweetness; hence, something desirable or pleasant.

   “[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.”

10. (archaic, countable, figuratively)Something resembling honeycomb in sweetness; hence, something desirable or pleasant.

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

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

11. (Australia, British, attributive, figuratively, often, uncountable)Something resembling honeycomb in sweetness; hence, something desirable or pleasant.

    “honeycomb toffee”

verb

1. (transitive)To riddle (something) with small holes, especially in a pattern resembling a honeycomb (noun sense 1); also, to cause (something) to become hollow or weakened in this way.
2. (transitive)To bore cavities or tunnels inside (something).

   “Termites will honeycomb a porch made of untreated pine.”

   “[M]any of the pillars of the temple of Serapis at Puteoli vvere penetrated by theſe animals. […] [T]he pholas muſt have pierced into them ſince they vvere erected; for no vvorkmen vvould have laboured a pillar into form, if it had been honey-combed by vvorms in the quarry.”

   “Twenty ninja followed him from the darkness and another fifteen took up defensive positions at both ends of the corridor to guard this escape route that led through a maze of forgotten cellars and passages honeycombing the castle to one of Ishido's secret bolt holes under the moat, thence to the city.”

   “New Alresford is constantly mispronounced, T-shaped, honeycombed with cellars, packed with antique shops, riddled with woodworm, surrounded by watercress. The name - which means 'ford by the alders' - is pronounced 'Allsford'; and no one ever uses 'New', though they do call the adjoining village Old Alresford.”

3. (transitive)To decorate (something) with a honeycomb pattern.
4. (figuratively, transitive)To make way deeply into (something) so as to weaken it; to undermine.
5. (transitive)To ornament (a ceiling) with honeycomb work (see noun sense 2.4).
6. (also, archaic, figuratively, intransitive)To become riddled with small holes, especially in a pattern resembling a honeycomb; also, to become hollow or weakened in this way.