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Definition of comb
1a : a toothed instrument used especially for adjusting, cleaning, or confining hairb : a structure resembling such a comb; especially : any of several toothed devices used in handling or ordering textile fibersc : currycomb
2a : a fleshy crest on the head of the domestic chicken and other domestic birdsb : something (such as the ridge of a roof) resembling the comb of a cock
3 : honeycomb
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Recent Examples of comb from the Web
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Outside Union Station, with his mobile hairdressing gear in his backpack — a gown, razor, comb, some clips and scissors — Coombes came upon Thomas, a 70-year-old Vietnam veteran who has been homeless for 10 years.
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The structure must be opened and the comb carefully removed in sections so the bees can still live in it.
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Sandra managed to grab the comb with both claws before walking Nerissa, still dripping, to the bathroom.
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At Pandora’s Hair Design in Highlandtown, Clara Tana Weber unwinds her client’s rollers one by one, teasing her tendrils into larger blonde tufts with a comb.
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Karen Sokoloff finds a certain satisfaction in picking lice off a person's scalp, smoothing olive oil into the hair strands and carefully pulling a metal comb through them to catch the stragglers.
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Her pearl-and-diamond hair combs are also of the Edwardian era.
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Another group reexamined the same children using lice combs.
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The comb, which is designed to be safe for all hair types, is made with tourmaline ceramic that is infused with argan oil to gently straighten hair while eliminating frizz.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'comb'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of comb
Middle English, from Old English camb; akin to Old High German kamb comb, Greek gomphos tooth
comb
Definition of comb
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
3a : to eliminate (as with a comb) by a thorough going-overb : 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
Examples of comb in a Sentence
He combed back his hair.
The wool is combed before being spun into yarn.
We combed the beach for shells.
Recent Examples of comb from the Web
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Newport Beach In Newport Beach, undercover detectives have nabbed more than 1,000 pounds by combing Craigslist and other online classified advertisements, then arranging to meet with the sellers under the guise of purchasing the illegal fireworks.
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The University of Washington researchers looked at a more detailed pool of data than some minimum-wage researchers before them, combing through numbers collected for the local unemployment-insurance program.
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Crews will use nets and electric stunning devices to comb the area where the silver carp was found, plus other sections of the Chicago-area waterways and Lake Michigan’s Calumet Harbor.
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Search-and-rescue crews combing Lake Henshaw for a missing swimmer recovered a body Tuesday, authorities said.
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Just ask Jennifer Lopez, who readied for a romantic outing in France by combing her trademark honeyed brunette hair into a swingy ponytail characterized by a light-catching smoothness at the crown.
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Users flag offensive videos for review, while the company’s algorithms comb the site for potential problems.
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A passerby reported seeing a body Saturday, and officials worked late into the night combing the river for any trace.
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Sources close to the president say there is growing concern in the White House about what skeletons may emerge as investigators comb through a coterie of aides, past and present, who would have done virtually anything to win favor with Trump.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'comb'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of comb
14th century
COMB Defined for English Language Learners
comb
playDefinition of comb for English Language Learners
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: a flat piece of plastic or metal with a row of thin teeth that is used for making hair neat
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: a device that is used for separating or straightening fibers (such as wool fibers)
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: a soft part on top of the head of some birds (such as chickens)
comb
Definition of comb for English Language Learners
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: to smooth, arrange, or separate (hair or fibers) with a comb
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: to search (something) very thoroughly in order to find something
COMB Defined for Kids
Definition of comb for Students
combed
;combing
1 : to smooth, arrange, or untangle with a comb
2 : to search over or through carefully Police combed the building in search of evidence.
Learn More about comb
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See words that rhyme with comb Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for comb Spanish Central: Translation of comb Nglish: Translation of comb for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of comb for Arabic speakers
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