Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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noun
A toothed implement:
A toothed implement for grooming the hair or (formerly) for keeping it in place.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A toothed implement:
A machine used in separating choice cotton fibers from worsted cloth fibers.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A toothed implement:
The toothed plate at the top and bottom of an escalator that prevents objects getting trapped between the moving stairs and fixed landings.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A toothed implement:
A toothed tool used for chasing screws on work in a lathe; a chaser.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A toothed implement:
The notched scale of a wire micrometer.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A toothed implement:
The collector of an electrical machine, usually resembling a comb.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A toothed implement:
A toothed plate used for creating wells in agar gels for electrophoresis.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A toothed implement:
A toothed wooden pick used to push the weft thread tightly against the previous pass of thread to create a tight weave.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: business, manufacturing, textiles, weaving
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A toothed implement:
One of a pair of peculiar organs on the base of the abdomen in scorpions, with which they comb substrate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A toothed implement:
A ctene.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A crest:
A fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles; crest.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A crest:
A crest (of metal, leather, etc) on a piece of armor, especially on a helmet.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A crest:
The top part of a gun’s stock.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A structure of hexagon cells made by bees for storing honey; honeycomb.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The main body of a harmonica containing the air chambers and to which the reed plates are attached.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A former, commonly cone-shaped, used in hat manufacturing for hardening soft fibre.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An old English measure of corn equal to the half quarter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The curling crest of a wave; a comber.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A connected and reduced curve with irreducible components consisting of a smooth subcurve (called the handle) and one or more additional irreducible components (called teeth) that each intersect the handle in a single point that is unequal to the unique point of intersection for any of the other teeth.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: algebraic-geometry, geometry, mathematics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A kind of vertical plate in a lode.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Cornwall, obsolete
Topics: business, mining
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Abbreviation of combination.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: combo
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Alternative form of combe.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, alternative
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Alternative form of coomb.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, alternative, dialectal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Especially of hair or fur, to groom with a toothed implement, especially a comb.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To separate choice cotton fibers from worsted cloth fibers.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To search thoroughly as if raking over an area with a comb.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To roll over, as the top or crest of a wave; to break with a white foam, as waves.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Topics: nautical, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To turn a vessel parallel to (the track of) (a torpedo) so as to reduce one's size as a target.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Topics: government, military, naval, navy, politics, war
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
the act of drawing a comb through hair
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: combing
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: hair care, haircare, hairdressing
Narrower terms: comb-out, teasing
noun
the fleshy red crest on the head of the domestic fowl and other gallinaceous birds
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: cockscomb, coxcomb
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: crest
noun
ciliated comb-like swimming plate of a ctenophore
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: plate
noun
a flat device with narrow pointed teeth on one edge; disentangles or arranges hair
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: device
Narrower terms: currycomb, fine-tooth comb, fine-toothed comb, pocketcomb, pocket comb
noun
any of several tools for straightening fibers
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: tool
Narrower terms: hatchel, heckle
verb
smoothen and neaten with or as with a comb
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: comb out, disentangle
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: groom, neaten
Narrower terms: slick, slick down, sleek down, tease, fluff
verb
search thoroughly
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: ransack
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: search
verb
straighten with a comb
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: straighten, straighten out
Narrower terms: roach, currycomb, heckle, hackle, hatchel
History
From Middle English comb, from Old English camb (“comb”), from Proto-West Germanic *kamb, from Proto-Germanic *kambaz (“comb”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵómbhos (“tooth”), a doublet of cam. The verb is derived from the noun and displaced the older verb kemb. Cognates Compare Saterland Frisian Koum, Swedish/Dutch kam, Danish kam, Norwegian kam, German Kamm; also Tocharian B keme, Lithuanian žam̃bas (“sharp edge”), Old Church Slavonic зѫбъ (zǫbŭ), Albanian dhëmb, Ancient Greek γομφίος (gomphíos, “backtooth, molar”), Sanskrit जम्भ (jambha)).
From combination.
Across languages
446 source translations are retained for this English entry.
