COMB

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does comb mean? 

• COMB (noun)
  The noun COMB has 5 senses:

1. a flat device with narrow pointed teeth on one edge; disentangles or arranges hair

2. the fleshy red crest on the head of the domestic fowl and other gallinaceous birds

3. any of several tools for straightening fibers

4. ciliated comb-like swimming plate of a ctenophore

5. the act of drawing a comb through hair

  Familiarity information: COMB used as a noun is common.

• COMB (verb)
  The verb COMB has 3 senses:

1. straighten with a comb

2. search thoroughly

3. smoothen and neaten with or as with a comb

  Familiarity information: COMB used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COMB (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A flat device with narrow pointed teeth on one edge; disentangles or arranges hair

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("comb" is a kind of...):

device (an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose)

Meronyms (parts of "comb"):

tooth (something resembling the tooth of an animal)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "comb"):

currycomb (a square comb with rows of small teeth; used to curry horses)

fine-tooth comb; fine-toothed comb (a comb with teeth set close together)

pocket comb; pocketcomb (a small comb suitable for carrying in a pocket)

Derivation:

comb (smoothen and neaten with or as with a comb)

comb (straighten with a comb)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The fleshy red crest on the head of the domestic fowl and other gallinaceous birds

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

cockscomb; comb; coxcomb

Hypernyms ("comb" is a kind of...):

crest (a showy growth of e.g. feathers or skin on the head of a bird or other animal)

Holonyms ("comb" is a part of...):

gallinacean; gallinaceous bird (heavy-bodied largely ground-feeding domestic or game birds)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Any of several tools for straightening fibers

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("comb" is a kind of...):

tool (an implement used in the practice of a vocation)

Meronyms (parts of "comb"):

tooth (something resembling the tooth of an animal)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "comb"):

hatchel; heckle (a comb for separating flax fibers)

Derivation:

comb (smoothen and neaten with or as with a comb)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Ciliated comb-like swimming plate of a ctenophore

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("comb" is a kind of...):

plate (any flat platelike body structure or part)

Holonyms ("comb" is a part of...):

comb jelly; ctenophore (biradially symmetrical hermaphroditic solitary marine animals resembling jellyfishes having for locomotion eight rows of cilia arranged like teeth in a comb)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The act of drawing a comb through hair

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

comb; combing

Context example:

his hair needed a comb

Hypernyms ("comb" is a kind of...):

hair care; haircare; hairdressing (care for the hair: the activity of washing or cutting or curling or arranging the hair)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "comb"):

comb-out; teasing (the act of removing tangles from you hair with a comb)

Derivation:

comb (smoothen and neaten with or as with a comb)

comb (straighten with a comb)

• COMB (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they comb    ... he / she / it combs   
Past simple: combed   
Past participle: combed   
-ing form: combing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Straighten with a comb

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

comb your hair

Hypernyms (to "comb" is one way to...):

straighten; straighten out (make straight)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "comb"):

roach (comb (hair) into a roach)

currycomb (clean (a horse) with a currycomb)

hackle; hatchel; heckle (comb with a heckle)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They comb their hair

Derivation:

comb (the act of drawing a comb through hair)

comb (a flat device with narrow pointed teeth on one edge; disentangles or arranges hair)

combing (the act of drawing a comb through hair)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Search thoroughly

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

comb; ransack

Context example:

They combed the area for the missing child

Hypernyms (to "comb" is one way to...):

search (subject to a search)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence examples:

The men comb the area for animals
The men comb for animals in the area

Sense 3

Meaning:

Smoothen and neaten with or as with a comb

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

comb; comb out; disentangle

Context example:

comb the wool

Hypernyms (to "comb" is one way to...):

groom; neaten (care for one's external appearance)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "comb"):

sleek down; slick; slick down (give a smooth and glossy appearance)

fluff; tease (ruffle (one's hair) by combing the ends towards the scalp, for a full effect)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They comb their hair

Derivation:

comb (the act of drawing a comb through hair)

comb (a flat device with narrow pointed teeth on one edge; disentangles or arranges hair)

comb (any of several tools for straightening fibers)

combing (the act of drawing a comb through hair)

 Context examples 

Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD) Take care of his/her hair (wash and comb)?

(DAD - Take Care of His/Her Hair, NCI Thesaurus)

On the looking-glass were lists of definitions and pronunciations; when shaving, or dressing, or combing his hair, he conned these lists over.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I sat down on the hatch-combing and rested my chin on my hands in black despair.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD) Decide to care for his/her hair (wash and comb)?

(DAD - Decide to Care for His/Her Hair, NCI Thesaurus)

There is no competition for the prize: the honey-hunters harvest the honey and honeyguides devour the wax combs left behind.

(How humans and wild Honeyguide birds call each other to help, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

And soon came a gale of wind, and carried away Curdken’s hat, and away went Curdken after it, while the girl went on combing and curling her hair.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR) Brush or comb your hair.

(FIQR - Brush or Comb Your Hair, NCI Thesaurus)

From below came the fatal roaring where the wild current went wilder and was rent in shreds and spray by the rocks which thrust through like the teeth of an enormous comb.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Just to comb out this shaggy black mane.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

"They grow on this road, Meg, so do combs and brown straw hats."

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)