comb

noun

\ ˈkōm

Definition of comb

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : 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

2a : a fleshy crest on the head of the domestic chicken and other domestic birds

b : something (such as the ridge of a roof) resembling the comb of a cock

3 : honeycomb

comb

verb

combed; combing; combs

Definition of comb (Entry 2 of 3)

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-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

comb

abbreviation

Definition of comb (Entry 3 of 3)

1 combination; combined; combining

2 combustion

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Examples of comb in a Sentence

Verb

He combed back his hair. The wool is combed before being spun into yarn. We combed the beach for shells.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Use a tiny, rat-tail comb to get the cleanest-looking split. — Maya Allen, Marie Claire, "13 Gorgeous Cornrows Photos to Inspire Your Next Look," 30 Jan. 2019 Use a wide tooth comb and lightly tease using large motions. — Lauren Rearick, Teen Vogue, "Gigi Hadid Appears on the September "Vogue Brazil" Cover," 29 Aug. 2018 Each already contains an actively-laying queen and five frames of comb. — Blair Donovan, Country Living, "Beekeeping for Beginners: Everything to Know About Starting Your Own Colony," 5 Apr. 2019 Add decorative trays to display perfume bottles, compacts, flower arrangements, tortoiseshell combs, and candles. — Heather Corcoran, ELLE Decor, "How to Bring Old Hollywood Into Your Home," 19 Mar. 2019 Bungee-jumping in Madagascar won’t make up for three crummy marriages or a really bad comb-over. — Joe Queenan, WSJ, "It’s Time to Kick the Bucket List," 20 July 2018 Here's a beauty fun fact: Clean, dried mascara wands double as combs to remove fly eggs and larvae from animal fur. — Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, "Wet n Wild Is Donating Proceeds of Its New Lash Renegade Mascara Shade to Wands for Wildlife," 30 May 2018 Dress up a simple hair comb with pretty embellishments. — Sarah Newell, Seventeen, "15 Amazing Prom Hacks To Make It Your Most Stylish Night Ever," 6 Jan. 2017 Lift hair in small sections, backcomb each section two or three times using a fine-tooth plastic comb, spray with dry shampoo, and then comb the hair down on top lightly to smooth it out and hide the teasing. — Amy Marturana, SELF, "17 Styling Tricks Women with Fine, Flat Hair Need to Know," 21 Dec. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

My grandmother taught my mom to cook greens and how to comb and braid black hair, my dad already knew plenty about the white world from his travels, his career, his first wife, his affairs, and he was unfazed, besides, this was his world. — Harmonyholiday, Longreads, "Mama Looks for Melanin," 6 June 2019 Other teams are also adopting the approach to comb samples for new species in their labs—or even directly in the field. — Elizabeth Pennisi, Science | AAAS, "$180 million DNA 'barcode' project aims to discover 2 million new species," 6 June 2019 Doxel uses a combination of aerial drones and ground robots, equipped with HD cameras and LIDAR that can see through walls, to comb over every inch of a construction site every day. — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "How This Tiny Tank Could Help Keep Construction on Track," 26 Mar. 2018 Cyrus writes that Hemsworth goes outside to check on the weather (instead of looking at his phone), loves Rupaul's Drag Race, is a great listener, and even combs Cyrus's hair. — Abby Gardner, Glamour, "Miley Cyrus Wrote Liam Hemsworth a Sweet Love Letter for His Birthday," 14 Jan. 2019 Lift hair in small sections, backcomb each section two or three times using a fine-tooth plastic comb, spray with dry shampoo, and then comb the hair down on top lightly to smooth it out and hide the teasing. — Amy Marturana, SELF, "17 Styling Tricks Women with Fine, Flat Hair Need to Know," 21 Dec. 2018 Van der Veen said forensics experts were still combing the scene hours after the attack and detectives were investigating the man's motive. — Fox News, "Dutch police shoot suspect after 2 stabbed at train station," 31 Aug. 2018 Nasart Rahimi, a deputy spokesman at the Interior Ministry, said security forces were combing Ghazni on Tuesday, searching for any remaining Taliban fighters. — Amir Shah, The Seattle Times, "Taliban overrun Afghan army base, kill 17 troops," 14 Aug. 2018 That’s how quarterback Will Grier, linebacker David Long and seven of their teammates wound up in Atlanta five days before this year’s draft learning how NFL teams will comb through their lives prior to next year’s draft. — Andy Staples, SI.com, "How West Virginia Is Preparing Its Stars for the Biggest Year of Their Lives," 3 May 2018

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.