Definition

1. Noun:

   • A structure of hexagonal wax cells built by honey bees: This is the primary meaning, referring to the natural wax structure created by bees to store honey and raise their young. The cells are perfectly hexagonal.
   • Any structure resembling this pattern: Something that has a pattern or arrangement of many small, closely packed, hexagonal or similar compartments or cavities.

2. Verb:

   • To fill with holes, tunnels, or cavities; to permeate: To make something full of small holes or passages, similar to the structure of a honeycomb. This can be a physical or metaphorical permeation.
   • To carve or mark with a honeycomb pattern: To create a pattern of small, connected cavities on a surface.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The beekeeper carefully removed a frame of honeycomb from the hive.
  • The lightweight material had a honeycomb structure for added strength.

• Verb:

  • Years of erosion had honeycombed the limestone cliffs with caves.
  • Corruption had honeycombed the entire administration, making reform difficult.

Advanced Usage

• "To be honeycombed with": This phrase is commonly used to describe something thoroughly penetrated or filled with something (often negative like problems, tunnels, or passages).
  • The old fortress was honeycombed with secret tunnels.
  • The report revealed a department honeycombed with inefficiency.

Variants and Related Words

• Honeycombed (adjective): Having a structure or appearance full of small holes or cavities.
  • The honeycombed rock provided shelter for many small creatures.

Synonyms

• Noun (for structure): Network, lattice, grid, mesh.
• Verb (for permeating): Permeate, infiltrate, riddled, tunnel, perforate.

Related Phrases

• Honeycomb tripe: A type of edible tripe (from the stomach of a cow) which has a honeycomb-like texture.
• Honeycomb weathering: A geological process where rock surfaces develop small, closely spaced pits, resembling a honeycomb.

Noun

1. a framework of hexagonal cells resembling the honeycomb built by bees
2. a structure of small hexagonal cells constructed from beeswax by bees and used to store honey and larvae

Verb

1. make full of cavities, like a honeycomb
2. penetrate thoroughly and into every part
   • the revolutionaries honeycombed the organization
3. carve a honeycomb pattern into
   • The cliffs were honeycombed