honeycomb
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈhʌnikəʊm/
ipa: /ˈhʌniˌkoʊm/
Forms: form: honeycombs
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.
Senses: examples: text: Pleaſant words are [as] an honycombe, ſweete to the ſoule, and health to the bones.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 16:24, column 2:
text: 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.
ref: 1651, Thomas Hobbes, “Of the Word of God, and of Prophets”, in Leviathan, or The Matter, Forme, & Power of a Common-wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civill, London: […] [William Wilson] for Andrew Crooke, […], →OCLC, 3rd part (Of a Christian Common-wealth), page 230:
text: The cells of the bees are perfect hexagons: theſe, in every honeycomb, are double, opening on either ſide, and cloſed at the bottom.
ref: 1791, Oliver Goldsmith, “Of the Bee”, in An History of the Earth, and Animated Nature. […], new edition, volume VIII, London: […] F[rancis] Wingrave, successor to Mr. [John] Nourse, […], →OCLC, part IV (Of Crustaceous and Testaceous Fishes), page 10:
text: 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.
ref: 1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter I, in Romance and Reality. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 9:
glosses: 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.
examples: text: The wood porch was a honeycomb of termite tunnels before we replaced it.
text: [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.
ref: 1797 June 20, John Adams, “To Uriah Forrest”, in The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: […], volume VIII, Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Company, published 1853, →OCLC, pages 546–547:
glosses: Something resembling honeycomb (sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes.
topics: geometry
mathematics
sciences
glosses: Something resembling honeycomb (sense 1) in having numerous cells or small holes.
A space-filling packing of polytopes in three- or higher-dimensional space.
topics: engineering
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
technology
glosses: Something resembling honeycomb (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.
topics: engineering
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
technology
glosses: Something resembling honeycomb (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.
topics: aeronautics
aerospace
aviation
business
engineering
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
technology
glosses: Something resembling honeycomb (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.
examples: text: 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.
ref: [1658, Thomas Browne, “The Garden of Cyrus. […]. Chapter III.”, in Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall, […] Together with The Garden of Cyrus, […], London: […] Hen[ry] Brome […], →OCLC, page 149:
text: 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; […]
ref: [1791, Oliver Goldsmith, “Of Ruminating Animals”, in An History of the Earth, and Animated Nature. […], new edition, volume III, London: […] F[rancis] Wingrave, successor to Mr. [John] Nourse, […], →OCLC, page 3:
topics: biology
natural-sciences
zoology
glosses: Something resembling honeycomb (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”).
topics: architecture
glosses: Something resembling honeycomb (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”).
synonyms: muqarnas
examples: text: [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.
ref: 1657, Samuel Purchas, “[The Second Part. Being Meditations and Observations, Theologicall, and Morall, upon the Nature of Bees.] The Third Centurie.”, in A Theatre of Politicall Flying-Insects. […], London: […] M. S. for Thomas Parkhurst, […], →OCLC, section XXXVI, page 360:
text: 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.
ref: 1817 December 31 (indicated as 1818), [Walter Scott], chapter II, in Rob Roy. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co. […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC, page 41:
text: [W]as he not / A full-cell'd honeycomb of eloquence / Stored from all flowers? Poet-like he spoke.
ref: 1842, Alfred Tennyson, “[English Idyls and Other Poems. (Published 1842.)] Edwin Morris; or, The Lake”, in Poems, 8th edition, London: Edward Moxon, […], published 1853, →OCLC, page 231:
glosses: Something resembling honeycomb in sweetness; hence, something desirable or pleasant.
examples: text: Adievv; / My honey-combe hovv ſvveet thou art, […]
ref: c. 1623–1624 – 1630s, John Fletcher, Philip Massinger, “The Lovers Progres”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act IV, scene i, page 86, column 2:
text: Svveet Hony-Comb, don't be ſo VVaſpiſh: […]
ref: 1702, [Colley] Cibber, She Wou’d, and She Wou’d Not, or The Kind Impostor. A Comedy. […], London: […] William Turner […], and John Nutt, […], published 1703, →OCLC, Act III, page 30:
glosses: Something resembling honeycomb in sweetness; hence, something desirable or pleasant.
Used as a term of endearment: honey, sweetheart.
examples: text: honeycomb toffee
glosses: 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.
Derived terms: word: comb-honey
word: fungus comb
word: honeycomb coil
word: honeycomb conjecture
word: honeycomb coral
word: honeycomb ground
word: honeycomblike
word: honeycomb limestone
word: honeycomb lung
word: honeycomb moray
taxonomic: Galleria mellonella
word: honeycomb moth
word: honeycomb pleat
word: honeycomb quartz
word: honeycomb quilt
word: honeycomb radiator
word: honeycomb ringworm
word: honeycomb rock
word: honeycomb sandwich
word: honeycomb scall
word: honeycomb sponge
word: honeycomb stitch
word: honeycomb stomach
word: honeycomb stone
word: honeycomb tetter
word: honeycomb toffee
word: honeycomb tripe
word: hyperhoneycomb
word: nanohoneycomb