verb
honeycomb
HUH-nee-kohm
verb
1
To riddle something with small holes or tunnels, as bees do with a hive.
"Years of erosion had honeycombed the cliff face with small caves."
2
To weaken something gradually from within.
"Corruption had honeycombed the entire department long before it was exposed."
How to Use Honeycomb
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAs a verb, to fill something with small connected holes or cavities, often in a way that weakens it.
Common pairings
honeycombed with tunnels
honeycomb pattern
honeycomb structure
Word Forms
honeycombed past tense, honeycombs singular
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Years of erosion had _____ the cliff face with small caves.
Etymology
From Old English huniġcamb, literally "honey" + "comb", describing the wax structure bees build to store honey.