comb

noun
/kəʊm/UK/koʊm/US/kɒmb/UK/kuːm/

Etymology

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)).

  1. inherited from *ǵómbʰos
  2. inherited from *kambaz
  3. inherited from *kamb
  4. inherited from camb
  5. inherited from comb

Definitions

  1. A toothed implement

    A toothed implement:

    • There was also hairdressing: hairdressing, too, really was hairdressing in those times — no running a comb through it and that was that. It was curled, frizzed, waved, put in curlers overnight, waved with hot tongs;[…].
  2. A crest

    A crest:

    • I also obtained here a specimen of the rare green jungle-fowl (Gallus furcatus), whose back and neck are beautifully scaled with bronzy feathers, and whose smooth-edged oval comb is of a violet purple colour, changing to green at the base.
  3. A structure of hexagon cells made by bees for storing honey

    A structure of hexagon cells made by bees for storing honey; honeycomb.

    • The combs of the wild bees are found on overhanging precipices, and the only means by which they can be reached is to descend from above on narrow cane ladders just wide enough for a man’s foot, and often 300 feet to 400 feet long.
  4. + 14 more definitions
    1. The main body of a harmonica containing the air chambers and to which the reed plates are…

      The main body of a harmonica containing the air chambers and to which the reed plates are attached.

    2. A former, commonly cone-shaped, used in hat manufacturing for hardening soft fibre.

    3. An old English measure of corn equal to the half quarter.

      • But the comb or half quarter is very general in the Eastern counties, particularly in Norfolk.
    4. The curling crest of a wave

      The curling crest of a wave; a comber.

    5. A connected and reduced curve with irreducible components consisting of a smooth subcurve…

      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.

    6. A kind of vertical plate in a lode.

    7. Especially of hair or fur, to groom with a toothed implement, especially a comb.

      • I like the way you comb your hair / And I like those stylish clothes you wear / It's just the little things you do / That show how much you really care
    8. To separate choice cotton fibers from worsted cloth fibers.

    9. To search thoroughly as if raking over an area with a comb.

      • Police combed the field for evidence after the assault.
    10. To roll over, as the top or crest of a wave

      To roll over, as the top or crest of a wave; to break with a white foam, as waves.

    11. To turn a vessel parallel to (the track of) (a torpedo) so as to reduce one's size as a…

      To turn a vessel parallel to (the track of) (a torpedo) so as to reduce one's size as a target.

      • The aircraft split up so as to attack from different, preselected bearings, thus confusing the gunners and making it difficult for the ship to comb torpedo tracks.
      • Sixteen torpedo bombers divided their attention between the two ships. Repulse combed the torpedo wakes and knocked down two of the attackers.
    12. Abbreviation of combination.

    13. Alternative form of combe.

    14. Alternative form of coomb.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at comb. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

01comb02implement03instrument04agency05independently06independent07depending08crest

A definitional loop anchored at comb. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

8 hops · closes at comb

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA