1.
[syn: honey locust, Gleditsia triacanthos]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Honey \Hon"ey\ (h[u^]n"[y^]), n. [OE. honi, huni, AS. hunig;
akin to OS. honeg, D. & G. honig, OHG. honag, honang, Icel.
hunang, Sw. h[*a]ning, Dan. honning, cf. Gr. ko`nis dust,
Skr. ka[.n]a grain.]
1. A sweet viscid fluid, esp. that collected by bees from
flowers of plants, and deposited in the cells of the
honeycomb.
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2. That which is sweet or pleasant, like honey.
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The honey of his language. --Shak.
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3. Sweet one; -- a term of endearment. --Chaucer.
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Honey, you shall be well desired in Cyprus. --Shak.
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Note: Honey is often used adjectively or as the first part of
compound; as, honeydew or honey dew; honey guide or
honeyguide; honey locust or honey-locust.
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Honey ant (Zool.), a small ant (Myrmecocystus melliger),
found in the Southwestern United States, and in Mexico,
living in subterranean formicares. There are larger and
smaller ordinary workers, and others, which serve as
receptacles or cells for the storage of honey, their
abdomens becoming distended to the size of a currant.
These, in times of scarcity, regurgitate the honey and
feed the rest.
Honey badger (Zool.), the ratel.
Honey bear. (Zool.) See Kinkajou.
Honey buzzard (Zool.), a bird related to the kites, of the
genus Pernis. The European species is Pernis apivorus;
the Indian or crested honey buzzard is Pernis
ptilorhyncha. They feed upon honey and the larv[ae] of
bees. Called also bee hawk, bee kite.
Honey guide (Zool.), one of several species of small birds
of the family Indicatorid[ae], inhabiting Africa and the
East Indies. They have the habit of leading persons to the
nests to wild bees. Called also honeybird, and
indicator.
Honey harvest, the gathering of honey from hives, or the
honey which is gathered. --Dryden.
Honey kite. (Zool.) See Honey buzzard (above).
Honey locust (Bot.), a North American tree (Gleditschia
triacanthos), armed with thorns, and having long pods
with a sweet pulp between the seeds.
Honey month. Same as Honeymoon.
Honey weasel (Zool.), the ratel.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Locust tree \Lo"cust tree`\n. [Etymol. uncertain.] (Bot.)
A large North American tree of the genus Robinia (Robinia
Pseudacacia), producing large slender racemes of white,
fragrant, papilionaceous flowers, and often cultivated as an
ornamental tree. In England it is called acacia.
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Note: The name is also applied to other trees of different
genera, especially to those of the genus Hymen[ae]a,
of which Hymen[ae]a Courbaril is a lofty, spreading
tree of South America; also to the carob tree
(Ceratonia siliqua), a tree growing in the
Mediterranean region.
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Honey locust tree (Bot.), a tree of the genus Gleditschia
) Gleditschia triacanthus), having pinnate leaves and
strong branching thorns; -- so called from a sweet pulp
found between the seeds in the pods. Called also simply
honey locust.
Water locust tree (Bot.), a small swamp tree (Gleditschia
monosperma), of the Southern United States.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
honey locust
n 1: tall usually spiny North American tree having small
greenish-white flowers in drooping racemes followed by long
twisting seed pods; yields very hard durable reddish-brown
wood; introduced to temperate Old World [syn: honey
locust, Gleditsia triacanthos]