honeying

Variant of honey

noun pl. honeys

  1. a thick, sweet, syrupy substance that bees make as food from the nectar of flowers and store in honeycombs
    1. anything like honey in texture, color, etc.
    2. sweet quality; sweetness
  2. sweet one; darling; dear: often a term of affectionate address
  3. Informal something pleasing or excellent of its kind: a honey of an idea

Origin: ME honi, hunig < OE hunig, akin to Ger honig (OHG honang) < IE base *kenekó-, honey-yellow > Sans kāñcana-, golden

adjective

  1. of or like honey
  2. sweet; dear

transitive verb honeyed or honied, honeying

  1. to make sweet or pleasant as with honey
  2. to speak sweetly or lovingly to
  3. to flatter

intransitive verb

to speak sweetly or lovingly; be very affectionate, attentive, or coaxing
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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