comb en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- kōm
- /kɐʉm/ (New-Zealand)
- /koʊm/ (US)
- /koːm/ (Wales) without the toe–tow merger
- (US) audio
- /kom/ (Scotland)
- /kəʉm/ (Australia)
- /kəʊm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
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)).
Meanings
-
A toothed implement: ▸ A toothed implement for grooming the hair or (formerly) for keeping it in place.
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;[…].
1977, Agatha Christie, chapter 4, in An Autobiography, part II, London: Collins, →ISBN:
- A toothed implement: ▸ A machine used in separating choice cotton fibers from worsted cloth fibers.
- 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.
- A toothed implement: ▸ A toothed tool used for chasing screws on work in a lathe; a chaser.
- A toothed implement: ▸ The notched scale of a wire micrometer.
- A toothed implement: ▸ The collector of an electrical machine, usually resembling a comb.
- A toothed implement: ▸ A toothed plate used for creating wells in agar gels for electrophoresis.
- 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.
- A toothed implement: ▸ One of a pair of peculiar organs on the base of the abdomen in scorpions, with which they comb substrate.
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A toothed implement: ▸ A ctene.
Ctenophores are mostly planktonic creatures about the size and shape of a kiwi fruit or grape, bearing rows of beating "combs."
2001, Julian Sprung, Invertebrates: A Quick Reference Guide, page 35:
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A crest: ▸ A fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles; 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.
1869, Alfred Russel Wallace, The Malay Archipelago, volume I, London: Macmillan and Co., page 170:
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(broadly) A crest: ▸ A crest (of metal, leather, etc) on a piece of armor, especially on a helmet.
The armet has usually a low central cabled comb with parallel flutes on either side, occasionally there are three or five combs.
1898, John Starkie Gardner, Armour in England from the Earliest Times to the Seventeenth Century, page 44:Charles I. (Edinburgh Castle) The Pikeman of the time of James I. was accoutred in a morion-shaped helmet with a comb of moderate size and a flat brim, […]
2021, Charles Henry Ashdown, British and Foreign Arms & Armour, Good Press:The combs or elbow pieces are beautifully made, and over the right armpit is […]
1909, Albert Frederick Calvert, Madrid: An Historical Description and Handbook of the Spanish Capital, page 82:The head-dress of the Horse Grenadiers consists of a peculiar leather helmet with a comb of bear's skin passing over it from ear to ear and a long scarlet […]
1888, “Journal of the United Service Institution of India”, in United Service Institution of India, page 197:
- A crest: ▸ The top part of a gun’s stock.
-
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.
1909, John Claude White, Sikhim and Bhutan, page 9:
- The main body of a harmonica containing the air chambers and to which the reed plates are attached.
- A former, commonly cone-shaped, used in hat manufacturing for hardening soft fibre.
-
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.
1882, James Edwin Thorold Rogers, A History of Agriculture and Prices in England, volume 4, page 207:
- The curling crest of a wave; a comber.
- 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.
- (Cornwall, obsolete) A kind of vertical plate in a lode.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| combs | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
caruncle (skin on head of birds) · wattle (skin on head of birds) · orling · snood (skin on head of birds)
Deriveds
beard comb · welsh-comb · combjelly · fungus comb · lady's comb · curry comb · cut someone's comb · combfish · comb-over · bluecomb · pressing comb · comb filter · combmaking · razor comb · cock's comb test · pintail comb · comb joint · comb test · coaming · comb jelly · woolcomb · combless · comb-footed spider · two bald men fighting over a comb · horse comb · comb-honey · fine-tooth comb test · Venus comb · Venus' comb · curry-comb · combover · pea comb · comb ceramic · detection comb · tooth comb · hot comb · comb-jelly · fine-tooth comb · backcomb · currycomb · Welsh comb · combwise · toothcomb · wax comb · mane-comb · drop at comb · comb-brush · Dirac comb · sex comb · carding-comb · Venus's comb · Wycherley comb · fine-toothed comb · roof comb · combful · comb-out · comby · nit comb · microcomb · Afro comb · comblike · comb-crested jacana · horse-comb · rose comb · tooth-comb · combmaker · polycomb · flaxcomb
Relateds
Synonyms
crest (skin on head of birds) · cockscomb (skin on head of birds)
Translations (283)
ps ګنز (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · lmo peten (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ta சீப்பு (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · sh čȅšalj (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · tk darak (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · kok फणी (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · egy mꜥšꜣdjdjt (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · yi קאַם (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · oc penche (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · tl peyneta (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · dsb cesak (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · cy crib (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · wa discramioe (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · pa ਕੰਘਾ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · sms čååǥǥam (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · el χτένα (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · fa دَفْتین (weaving comb) · gl pente (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ko 빗 (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · srn kankan (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · bo སྐྲ་ཤད (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ruq chiaptini (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · nl kam (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · rom kangli (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · sc petini (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ru расчёска (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · hy սանր (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · tr ibik (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · ota طراق (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · br kribell (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · rup cheaptine (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · mr कंगवा (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · fur pietin (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · rup chiaptine (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · gu કાંસકી (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · hy սանր (weaving comb) · ru гребёнка (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · gd cìrean (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · mn сам (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · alt тарак (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · hy կատար (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · ru гре́бень (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · io pektilo (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · mg hogo (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · zh 梳子 (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · se čohkun (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · kjg ຈຶນດຣັຽຍຫ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ckb پوپنە (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · rsk гребень (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · th หวี (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · qu ñagca (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · or ପାନିଆ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · lt šukos (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ar مِمْشَط (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · id sisir (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ht peny (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · da kam (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ha matsēfi (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · br kribelloù (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · it cresta (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · jje 빗 (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · la pecten (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · taa tthizruya' (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · eu orrazi (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ar مِشْط (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · gu કાંસકો (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · nup tíshe (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ast peine (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · mr फणी (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · nup tíshegi (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · as কাঁকৈ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · th หงอน (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · br kribenn (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · ast menezuela (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · xal сам (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ca pinta (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · kbd мажьэ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ml ചീപ്പ് (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · is greiða (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ckb شانە (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · rm pettan (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ryu さばち (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · yue 梳 (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · fwa bahlic (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · pap peña (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · sc petene (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · mn ᠰᠠᠮ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · mt moxt (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ar مشطة (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · lb Kamp (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · enm comb (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · tr tarak (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · bo ཟེ་པྲོག (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · bo དབུ་ཤད (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ka სავარცხელი (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · fi harja (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · ar مُشْط (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ce ехк (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ja 櫛 (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · sv kam (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · zh муфур (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · pt crista (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · pam asue (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · rup chiaptini (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · grc κτείς (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · gl pieite (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · vec peten (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · zh муфу (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · piz bahlic (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · et kamm (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · bn ফনী (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · be грабяне́ц (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · bg гре́бен (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ang camb (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · vi lược (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · jaz balic (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · cdo 頭梳 /头梳 (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · hsb česak (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · dlm piacno (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · zh муфузы (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · sw kitana (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · tg шона (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · sq krehër (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · de Kamm (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · lv ķemme (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · zh 柴梳 (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · pl grzebień (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · se čogu (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · yo òòyà (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · sl glavnik (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ms sikat (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · nrf dêmêleux (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · om filoo (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · be расчо́ска (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · lmo pèttin (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · mfe pengn (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · yo ìyarun (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ay sanu (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ovd kamb (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ota طراق (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · la crista (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · am ማበጠሪያ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · es peineta (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · os сӕрвасӕн (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ar مشط (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · cs hřebínek (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · vi mồng (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · izh suka (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ast cresta (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · bn কাঁকই (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · zh 篦 (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · hu fésű (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · rup cheaptini (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · br krib (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · bh कंघी (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ast peñe (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · gd cìr (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ro pieptene (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ga círín (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · nv bee adzooí (weaving comb) · nn kam (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ps ږمنځ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · zh 頭梳 /头梳 (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · trw کأنگ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ko 볏 (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · km ក្រាស (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · kk тарақ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · rm petgen (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ti መመሸጥ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · zza şone (diq) (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · te దువ్వెన (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · sh че̏шаљ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · pl grzebyk (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · fi potkureuna (toothed plate on an escalator) · kld baadal (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · af kam (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · nap pettene (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ga cíor (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · lv suka (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · chr ᎠᎵᏔᏬᏍᏗ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ccp 𑄛𑄪𑄚𑄨 (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · sv kam (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · mi heru (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · kn ಬಾಚಣಿಗೆ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · fi kampa (toothed plate on an escalator) · wuu 木梳 (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · it pettine (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · uk гре́бінь (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · fr peigne (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · mnp 頭梳 /头梳 (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · vi mào (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · tt тарак (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ota ایبك (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · gl peite (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · rif tamšeṭ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · he מַסרֵק (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · se gálggan (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · inh ехк (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · lt skiauterė (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · is kambur (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ru гре́бень (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · gan 梳子 (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · be грэ́бень (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · nb kam (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ru гребешо́к (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · es peine (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · bcl hugay (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · sce san (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · os къоппа (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · fr crête (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · fo kambur (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ga curca (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · da kam (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · sc petiri (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ky тарак (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · sk hrebeň (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · jv jungkat (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · enm comb (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ne काइँयो (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · om faaqqee (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · lv sekste (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · ar مُشط (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · nem balic (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · zh 木梳 (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ur کَن٘گھی (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · bxd pjɛ̠³⁵ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · bcl sukray (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · pt pente (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · si පනාව (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · qu nagza (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · wa discomeloe (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · mk чешел (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ak afe (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · de Kamm (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · ln likombo (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · sah тараах (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · fa شانِه (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · bn চিরুনি (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · as ফণি (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ug تاغاق (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · bo རྒྱུག་ཤད (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · pdt Kaum (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · scn pèttini (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · cs hřeben (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · es cresta (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · hi कंघी (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · wa pingne (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · bua һам (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ady шъхьэмажьэ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · tl suklay (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · zh 捋仔 (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · sa कंकत (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · kmr şe (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · kxd sisir (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · sl greben (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · bo བལ་ཤད (weaving comb) · kmr şeh (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · mt pettne (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · yo kóòmù (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · hak 梳仔 (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · nl kam (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · ia pectine (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · mi koukou (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · eo kombilo (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · vo köb (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · kl illaagutit (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · nrf dêmêle (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · uz taroq (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · de Kamm (toothed plate on an escalator) · ba тараҡ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · fi kampa (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · qu ñaqch'a (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · az daraq (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · tcy ദൂബിന (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · lo ຫວີ (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · bg гре́бен (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · ms jambul (fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles) · br kriboù (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · uk гребіне́ць (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · nem bahlic (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · vec petene (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · my ဘီး (toothed implement for grooming the hair) · csm jaṭís·a- (toothed implement for grooming the hair)