comb

Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to: navigation, search
See also ċomb

Contents

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English, from Old English camb (“comb”), from Proto-Germanic *kambaz (“comb”) (compare Swedish/Dutch kam, German Kamm), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵómbʰos (“tooth”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵómbʰ- (“to pierce, gnaw through”) (compare Tocharian B keme, Lithuanian žam̃bas (“sharp edge”), Old Church Slavonic зѫбъ (zǫbŭ), Albanian dhëmb, Ancient Greek γομφίος (gomphíos, “backtooth, molar”), Sanskrit जम्भ (jambha)).

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun and verb
Abbreviation

Noun[edit]

comb (plural combs)

A comb for the hair.
  1. A toothed implement for grooming the hair.
  2. A machine used in separating choice cotton fibers from worsted cloth fibers.
  3. A fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles; crest.
  4. A structure of hexagon cells made by bees for storing honey; honeycomb.
  5. An old English measure of corn equal to the half quarter.
    1882, But the comb or half quarter is very general in the Eastern counties, particularly in Norfolk. — James Edwin Thorold Rogers, A History of Agriculture and Prices in England, Volume 4, page 207.
  6. The top part of a gun’s stock.
  7. The toothed plate at the top and bottom of an escalator that prevents objects getting trapped between the moving stairs and fixed landings.
  8. (music) The main body of a harmonica containing the air chambers and to which the reed plates are attached.

Synonyms[edit]

Coordinate terms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Terms derived from "comb"

Coordinate terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

toothed implement for grooming the hair
fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles
structure of cells made by bees — see honeycomb
toothed plate on an escalator

Verb[edit]

comb (third-person singular simple present combs, present participle combing, simple past and past participle combed)

  1. (transitive, especially of hair or fur) To groom with a toothed implement; chiefly with a comb.
    I need to comb my hair before we leave the house
  2. (transitive) To separate choice cotton fibers from worsted cloth fibers.
  3. (transitive) To search thoroughly as if raking over an area with a comb.
    Police combed the field for evidence after the assault
  4. (nautical, intransitive) To roll over, as the top or crest of a wave; to break with a white foam, as waves.

Translations[edit]

to groom the hair with a toothed implement
to separate choice cotton fibers from worsted cloth fibers
to search thoroughly as if raking over an area with a comb
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked

Noun[edit]

comb (plural combs)

  1. (abbreviation) Combination.

Anagrams[edit]

Hungarian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Unknown origin.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA: /ˈtsomb/
  • Hyphenation: comb

Noun[edit]

comb (plural combok)

  1. thigh

Declension[edit]

declension of comb
singular plural
nominative comb combok
accusative combot combokat
dative combnak comboknak
instrumental combbal combokkal
causal-final combért combokért
translative combbá combokká
terminative combig combokig
essive-formal combként combokként
essive-modal - -
inessive combban combokban
superessive combon combokon
adessive combnál comboknál
illative combba combokba
sublative combra combokra
allative combhoz combokhoz
elative combból combokból
delative combról combokról
ablative combtól comboktól
possessives of comb
possessor singular possession plural possession
1st person sing. combom combjaim
2nd person sing. combod combjaid
3rd person sing. combja combjai
1st person plural combunk combjaink
2nd person plural combotok combjaitok
3rd person plural combjuk combjaik
Retrieved from "http://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=comb&oldid=21168526"