toothcomb
English
Etymology
Pronunciation
Noun
toothcomb (plural toothcombs)
- A dental structure found in certain primates consisting of long, flat teeth with microscopic grooves, and used for grooming the fur.
- (figuratively, from the expression 'fine toothcomb', a misunderstanding of 'fine-tooth comb') A means of making a thorough search.
- The police went through all his possessions with a toothcomb.
- 1923 May 2, Agatha Christie "The Million Dollar Bond Robbery", in The Sketch:
- Word was passed to the Customs authorities, and every soul that left the ship was gone over with a toothcomb!
Usage notes
- See note at fine-tooth comb.
Verb
Lua error in Module:en-headword at line 1143: Legacy parameter 1=STEM no longer supported, just use 'en-verb' without params
- (may be considered erroneous) To search thoroughly.
- The flat was toothcombed for any trace of drugs.