comb

== English == === Etymology 1 === 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. ==== Pronunciation ==== (Received Pronunciation) enPR: kōm, IPA(key): /kəʊm/ (US) enPR: kōm, IPA(key): /koʊm/ Rhymes: -əʊm Hyphenation: comb ==== Noun ==== comb (plural combs) A toothed implement: A toothed implement for grooming the hair or (formerly) for keeping it in place. A machine used in separating choice cotton fibers from worsted cloth fibers. 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 tool used for chasing screws on work in a lathe; a chaser. The notched scale of a wire micrometer. The collector of an electrical machine, usually resembling a comb. A toothed plate used for creating wells in agar gels for electrophoresis. (weaving) A toothed wooden pick used to push the weft thread tightly against the previous pass of thread to create a tight weave. One of a pair of peculiar organs on the base of the abdomen in scorpions, with which they comb substrate. A ctene. A crest: A fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles; crest. (by extension) A crest (of metal, leather, etc) on a piece of armor, especially on a helmet. The top part of a gun’s stock. A structure of hexagon cells made by bees for storing honey; honeycomb. (music) 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. The curling crest of a wave; a comber. (algebraic geometry) 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, mining, obsolete) A kind of vertical plate in a lode. ===== Synonyms ===== (skin on head of birds): cockscomb, crest ===== Coordinate terms ===== (skin on head of birds): caruncle, snood, wattle ===== Coordinate terms ===== orling ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Related terms ===== kemb kempt unkempt ===== Translations ===== ==== Verb ==== comb (third-person singular simple present combs, present participle combing, simple past and past participle combed) (transitive) Especially of hair or fur, to groom with a toothed implement, especially a comb. (transitive) To separate choice cotton fibers from worsted cloth fibers. (transitive) To search thoroughly as if raking over an area with a comb. (nautical, intransitive) To roll over, as the top or crest of a wave; to break with a white foam, as waves. (naval, transitive) To turn a vessel parallel to (the track of) (a torpedo) so as to reduce one's size as a target. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === From combination. ==== Pronunciation ==== (UK) IPA(key): /kɒmb/ ==== Noun ==== comb (plural combs) (rare) Abbreviation of combination. (Can we add an example for this sense?) Synonym: combo ===== Related terms ===== comb. nov. (New Latin naturalized into scientific English) === Etymology 3 === ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /kuːm/ ==== Noun ==== comb (plural combs) Alternative form of combe. === Etymology 4 === ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /kuːm/ ==== Noun ==== comb (plural combs) (dialectal) Alternative form of coomb. === Anagrams === BMOC == Hungarian == === Etymology === Of unknown origin. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈt͡somb] Hyphenation: comb Rhymes: -omb === Noun === comb (plural combok) (anatomy) thigh ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== combocska combos combú === References === === Further reading === comb in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN. comb in Nóra Ittzés, editor, A magyar nyelv nagyszótára [A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (Nszt.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 2006–2031 (work in progress; published a–ez as of 2026). == Middle English == === Alternative forms === camb, cambe, combe, kambe, kombe === Etymology === From Old English camb, comb, from Proto-West Germanic *kamb, from Proto-Germanic *kambaz. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /kɔ̝ːm(b)/ IPA(key): /kaːm(b)/ (mainly Northern) === Noun === comb (plural combes) A comb (toothed tool for holding or grooming hair) An instrument similar to a comb used for differing things. A comb or wattle (usually of a rooster) A honeycomb (hexagonal structure of bees) (rare) The top of a mount or rise. (rare) The palm or the analogous part of the foot. ==== Related terms ==== honycomb horscomb kemben ==== Descendants ==== English: comb Scots: camb, came, kame, kaim, kem Yola: cowm, khime ==== References ==== “cōmb, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 31 October 2018. == Old English == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /komb/ === Noun === comb m alternative form of camb