comb

noun23

1. •
   A toothed implement.
2. •
   A toothed implement for grooming the hair or (formerly) for keeping it in place.
3. •
   A machine used in separating choice cotton fibers from worsted cloth fibers.
4. •
   The toothed plate at the top and bottom of an escalator that prevents objects getting trapped between the moving stairs and fixed landings.
5. •
   A toothed tool used for chasing screws on work in a lathe; a chaser.
6. •
   The notched scale of a wire micrometer.
7. •
   The collector of an electrical machine, usually resembling a comb.
8. •
   A toothed plate used for creating wells in agar gels for electrophoresis.
9. •
   A toothed wooden pick used to push the weft thread tightly against the previous pass of thread to create a tight weave.
10. •
    A crest.
11. •
    A fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles; crest.
12. •
    A crest (of metal, leather, etc) on a piece of armor, especially on a helmet.

    • 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
13. •
    The top part of a gun’s stock.
14. •
    The curling crest of a wave; a comber.
15. •
    A structure of hexagon cells made by bees for storing honey; honeycomb.
16. •
    One of a pair of peculiar organs on the base of the abdomen in scorpions, with which they comb substrate.
17. •
    A ctene.

    • Ctenophores are mostly planktonic creatures about the size and shape of a kiwi fruit or grape, bearing rows of beating "combs." — 2001
18. •
    The main body of a harmonica containing the air chambers and to which the reed plates are attached.
19. •
    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.
20. •
    (rare) Abbreviation of combination.
21. •
    A former, commonly cone-shaped, used in hat manufacturing for hardening soft fibre.
22. •
    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
23. •
    (no longer used) A kind of vertical plate in a lode.

verb5

1. •
   Especially of hair or fur, to groom with a toothed implement, especially a comb.

   • I like the way you comb your hair / And I like those stylish clothes you wear / It's just the little things you do / That show how much you really care — 1982
2. •
   To search thoroughly as if raking over an area with a comb.

   • Police combed the field for evidence after the assault.
3. •
   To roll over, as the top or crest of a wave; to break with a white foam, as waves.
4. •
   To separate choice cotton fibers from worsted cloth fibers.
5. •
   To turn a vessel parallel to (the track of) (a torpedo) so as to reduce one's size as a target.

   • The aircraft split up so as to attack from different, preselected bearings, thus confusing the gunners and making it difficult for the ship to comb torpedo tracks. — 2010

adjective1

1. •
   combining