honeycomb
/ˈhʌnɪkəʊm
/noun
1A structure of hexagonal cells of wax, made by bees to store honey and eggs.The surplus is stored away in the honeycomb to sustain the bees throughout the flowerless months of autumn and winter....
- Once the bee has made it home again, it barfs up the half-digested nectar and stores it in honeycombs.
- Other topics which Maclaurin wrote on were the annular eclipse of the sun in 1737 and the structure of bees' honeycombs.
2A structure of adjoining cavities or cells: a honeycomb of caves...
- The rock was pitted with a honeycomb of caves, each formerly the cell of a Byzantine monk.
- A spin-off company is expected to market the technology and to produce the structural honeycomb products.
- The foam has a honeycomb structure and is completely recyclable.
2.1A mass of cavities produced by corrosion or dissolution: [as modifier]: honeycomb weathering...
- They have eaten through the plaster itself to the point where it is no more than a rotting honeycomb, a huge housing system for an entire ecosystem of bugs.
- The lumps are a result of the interaction of the bacteria dissolving the bone, and the bone trying to repair itself, leaving a honeycomb effect.
- Sometimes the entire face of the stone can be lost leaving a honeycomb of cement mortar standing proud, forming a water trap and increasing the risk of frost damage.
2.2A raised hexagonal or cellular pattern on a fabric.One of the throw pillows had a honeycomb pattern that made me dizzy....
- The final winner was Eriskay fabric, a worsted material with an unusual honeycomb texture, designed by Catherine Murray from Bute Fabrics.
- The honeycomb texture is recessed rather than raised, and is available in a wide range of colours from rich vibrant reds, yellows, oranges, blues and greens to more unexpected pastel shades.
3 (also honeycomb toffee) [mass noun] British A sweet food with a crisp bubbly texture, typically made by boiling together sugar, golden syrup, water, and bicarbonate of soda: chocolate crepes topped with crunchy honeycomb...
- The dessert was a Belgian chocolate pot, served with pistachio nuts, salted caramel, and honeycomb, having a Christmas look and feel to it.
- Ray made caramelised apple Napoleon, with frangipani, a scoop of malt ice cream which had been rolled in honeycomb, and apple pudding.
- She was making milk ice cream with honeycomb pieces, pickled blackberries, blackberry gel, lavender flowers and hazelnut dust.
4 [mass noun] Tripe from the second stomach of a ruminant.Tripe comes in four types; the fat part of the first belly and three different section of honeycomb from the second stomach.
verb [with object]
1Fill with cavities or tunnels: whole hillsides were honeycombed with mines...
- The island, itself, is honeycombed with tunnels.
- It still had a functional role in WW II, when the cliffs on which it stood were honeycombed with tunnels.
- The building will be honeycombed with courtyards, which will be planted with trees and shrubs, and there will be disabled access throughout.
1.1Infiltrate and undermine: their men honeycombed the army...
- But it is not as evident as many news stories imply and all too many people suspect that the Archdiocese of Boston, or the Catholic Church, is honeycombed with pedophiles.
- They honeycombed the State Department and the Office of Strategic Services.
- They are honeycombed with Socialists - probably with Communists.
Origin
Old English hunigcamb (see honey, comb).