I. ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ noun
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English honycomb, from Old English hunigcamb, from hunig honey + camb comb — more at honey , comb I
1.
a. : a mass of hexagonal prismatic wax cells varying in size according to their use built by honeybees in their nest or hive to contain their brood and stores of honey — compare beeswax
b. : a mass of cells containing honey used as an article of food
pats of butter stamped with a swan, and slabs of honeycomb — Mary Webb
2. : a flaw in metal due to imperfect casting, corrosion, or the abrasive action of gunpowder
a scratch or spot of honeycomb in the grooves renders the rifle completely useless for match-shooting — W.W.Greener
3.
a. : something that resembles a honeycomb in structure or appearance
a honeycomb of pigeonholes stuffed with old letters — Berton Roueché
a honeycomb of dark, roofed-in arcades — Mollie Panter-Downes
is experimenting with metal honeycomb made of stainless steel — Reid Hale
a red honeycomb of fire burning far into a great pine root — Eve Langley
specifically : a building facade having a multicellular pattern of repeated units
b.
(1) : a weave with a small allover pattern of raised squares, oblongs, or diamonds with indented centers formed by long floats
(2) : a reversible fabric of this weave made usually of cotton or wool and used for clothing or towels — called also waffle cloth
c. or honeycomb stomach : reticulum 1
d. : honeycomb sponge
II. transitive verb
1.
a. : to cause to be full of cavities like a honeycomb : make into a tissue of holes separated by thin walls or partitions : pit
both substances eat and honeycomb the pipe — Emily Holt
the tunnels of the subways honeycomb rocks and rivers and skyscrapers — American Guide Series: New York City
the limestone country hereabouts is honeycombed with caves and grottoes — Tom Marvel
b. : to make into a checkered pattern : fret
the 650,000-odd peasant settlements which honeycomb the countryside — Daniel & Alice Thorner
blouses are ruched and honeycombed in alternating panels
2.
a. : to penetrate into every part of : fill , infiltrate
a book that has been honeycombed with classical allusions
the … government is honeycombed with spies — T.H.White b.1915
b. : subvert , weaken
the gigantic edifice of prices was honeycombed with speculative credit — F.L.Allen
intransitive verb
: to become pitted, checked, or cellular in structure or appearance
acids cause boiler metal to honeycomb
the cliff opened … before the girl, honeycombing into archways and steep flights of stairs — Kay Boyle