honey badger
1
7.6
- noun
- /ˈhʌni ˈbædʒər/
- Indian
:
tejón de miel
- The honey badger has a reputation for being a fearless predator in the wild.
Examples
-
I thought the honey badger must have weighed forty-five pounds, though less excitable members of the party put its weight at closer to thirty-six or thirty-seven.
Fiction book (1994) -
The honey badger is known for raiding beehives with little fear of the bees.
-
So, have you guys ever seen a honey badger?
-
Have you ever even seen a honey badger?
-
"A honey badger," answered Kevin softly.
Fiction book (1994) -
The honey badger climbed the bole of the tree and knocked off the beehive with a forepaw, then climbed back down and broke it apart, oblivious to the stings of the bees.
Fiction book (1994) -
In documentaries, the honey badger often showcases its strength by digging into the ground.
Synonyms
33
1.4
A strong animal that lives in holes and has black and white face stripes
A small, fierce animal active at night that eats meat and often raids beehives
A fearless, badger-like animal that eats meat and honey at night, found in Africa and South Asia
A group of mammals in the weasel family that contains only the honey badger
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is compositionally interpretable as a type of badger associated with honey, so a B1 learner who knows 'honey' and 'badger' would infer an animal referent. However, the evaluative sense 'extremely tough/fearless' is a cultural/metaphorical extension based on the species' reputation and is not directly predictable from the constituent meanings, so the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Honey badger is the name of a small, fierce animal that often raids beehives to eat honey and will fight much larger animals. That's why the animal is known for its strength and fearlessness.