comb

comb
I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English camb; akin to Old High German kamb comb, Greek gomphos tooth Date: before 12th century 1. a. a toothed instrument used especially for adjusting, cleaning, or confining hair b. a structure resembling such a comb; especially any of several toothed devices used in handling or ordering textile fibers c. currycomb 2. a. a fleshy crest on the head of the domestic chicken and other domestic birds b. something (as the ridge of a roof) resembling the comb of a cock 3. honeycombcombed adjectivecomblike adjective II. verb Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. to draw a comb through for the purpose of arranging or cleaning 2. to pass across with a scraping or raking action 3. a. to eliminate (as with a comb) by a thorough going-over b. to search or examine systematically <
police are combing the city
>
4. to use in a combing action intransitive verb 1. of a wave or its crest to roll over or break into foam 2. to make a thorough search <
comb through the classified ads
>
III. abbreviation 1. combination; combined; combining 2. combustion

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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Synonyms:
, / (for wool, hair, flax, etc.) / , (of a cock or bird) / , (of a wave) / , (with a comb), , , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • comb — comb1 [kōm] n. [ME < OE camb, comb, lit., toothed object < IE * g̑ombhos (> Sans jámbah, Gr gomphos, tooth) < base * ĝembh ,ĝombh , to bite, tooth] 1. a thin strip of hard rubber, plastic, metal, etc. with teeth, passed through the… …   English World dictionary

  • Comb — Comb, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Combed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Combing}.] To disentangle, cleanse, or adjust, with a comb; to lay smooth and straight with, or as with, a comb; as, to comb hair or wool. See under {Combing}. [1913 Webster] Comb down his… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Comb — (k[=o]m; 110), n. [AS. camb; akin to Sw., Dan., & D. kam, Icel. kambr, G. kamm, Gr. ? a grinder tooth, Skr. jambha tooth.] 1. An instrument with teeth, for straightening, cleansing, and adjusting the hair, or for keeping it in place. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Comb — Comb, v. i. [See {Comb}, n., 5.] (Naut.) To roll over, as the top or crest of a wave; to break with a white foam, as waves. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Comb — Comb, Combe Combe (? or ?), n. [AS. comb, prob. of Celtic origin; cf. W. cwm a dale, valley.] That unwatered portion of a valley which forms its continuation beyond and above the most elevated spring that issues into it. [Written also {coombe}.]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • comb — (n.) O.E. camb comb, crest, honeycomb (later Anglian comb), from W.Gmc. *kambaz (Cf. O.S., O.H.G. camb, Ger. Kamm, M.Du. cam, Du. kam, O.N. kambr), lit. toothed object, from PIE *gombhos, from root *gembh to bite, tooth (Cf …   Etymology dictionary

  • comb — [v1] arrange hair adjust, card, cleanse, curry, disentangle, dress, groom, hackle, hatchel, lay smooth, rasp, scrape, separate, smooth, sort, straighten, tease, untangle; concept 162 comb [v2] search by ransacking beat, beat the bushes*, examine …   New thesaurus

  • comb — ► NOUN 1) an article with a row of narrow teeth, used for untangling or arranging the hair. 2) a device for separating and dressing textile fibres. 3) the red fleshy crest on the head of a domestic fowl, especially a cock. 4) a honeycomb. ► VERB… …   English terms dictionary

  • Comb — Comb, n. A dry measure. See {Coomb}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Comb — (spr. Kohm), englisches Getreidemaß, 100 C. = 265 preuß. Scheffel, 2 C. = 1 Imp. Quarter …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Comb — (spr. kōm oder kūm), engl. Hohlmaß, s. Coom …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

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