comb
comb
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "comb" is /koʊm/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds in each syllable:
koʊm:
/k/: Voiceless velar stop
/oʊ/: Diphthong (as in "goat")
/m/: Bilabial nasal
Word Form Variations
The word "comb" can function as both a noun and a verb.
Noun Forms:
Singular: comb (e.g., "I use a comb to style my hair.")
Plural: combs (e.g., "She has many combs of different sizes.")
Verb Forms:
Base Form: comb (e.g., "Please comb your hair.")
Third-person singular present: combs (e.g., "He combs his beard every morning.")
Present participle: combing (e.g., "She is combing her dog's fur.")
Past tense: combed (e.g., "He combed his hair before the interview.")
Past participle: combed (e.g., "Her hair was neatly combed.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun Definitions
A toothed implement, typically made of plastic, metal, or wood, used for arranging or tidying hair, or for holding it in place.
Synonyms: Hairbrush, pick, rake (in a specialized sense for hair)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for a tool)
A fleshy, ridged outgrowth on the head of some fowls, such as chickens.
Synonyms: Crest, caruncle (more general)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms)
A structure made by bees to store honey and eggs, consisting of parallel rows of hexagonal wax cells.
Synonyms: Honeycomb, cell, hive (referring to the whole structure)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms)
Verb Definitions
To arrange or tidy (hair) with a comb.
Synonyms: Brush, style, untangle, groom, straighten
Antonyms: Tangle, mess up, dishevel
To search thoroughly through (a place or thing), typically to find something.
Synonyms: Search, scour, rummage, explore, scan, hunt
Antonyms: Overlook, skip, ignore, neglect, miss
To prepare (fiber, such as cotton or wool) with a comb to remove impurities and align the fibers for spinning.
Synonyms: Card, disentangle, align, refine
Antonyms: Mat, tangle, snarl
Examples of Use
Books
"She used a fine-toothed comb to disentangle the knots from her daughter's long, brown hair." (From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott, 1868)
"The old man would comb his beard slowly, lost in thought, before offering any advice." (From "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho, 1988)
Newspapers and Online Publications
"Police are continuing to comb the area near the crime scene for any new clues." (The Guardian)
"Bees swarm a tree, building a new comb as urban expansion encroaches on their natural habitat." (National Geographic)
"Experts advise using a wide-tooth comb on wet hair to prevent breakage." (Vogue)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms
Film: In the animated film Tangled (2010), Rapunzel often uses her hair as a tool, and the idea of "combing" such long hair is a recurring comedic element.
Television: "He spent hours combing through old records in the library, trying to find the missing piece of the puzzle for his documentary." (Common narrative in detective or research-based TV shows like Bones or Ancient Aliens).
Music: The phrase "a fine-tooth comb" is often used metaphorically in song lyrics to describe meticulous searching, for instance, in blues or folk songs discussing searching for truth or love.
Video Games: In many open-world adventure games, players are tasked with "combing" through specific zones or dungeons to find hidden items or complete quests.
General Public Discourse
"Did you remember to comb your hair before school?" (Common parental instruction)
"We had to comb through all the old boxes in the attic to find those photos." (Everyday conversation about searching)
"My chicken has a beautiful red comb." (Casual conversation among backyard poultry enthusiasts)
10 Quotes Using Comb
"She used a fine-tooth comb to disentangle the knots from her daughter's long, brown hair." (Louisa May Alcott, Little Women)
"The old man would comb his beard slowly, lost in thought, before offering any advice." (Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist)
"They had to comb through the entire city to find a single trace." (Common trope in detective fiction)
"Every morning, he would comb his sparse hair over his bald spot with a meticulous effort that was almost painful to watch." (Descriptive literary usage)
"I comb my thoughts with a fine-toothed comb, searching for the perfect phrase." (Figurative usage)
"He will comb you out of your career, and give you another, if you have any career at all." (Bertrand Russell, The Conquest of Happiness)
"You must comb your hair, and be neat and tidy." (Traditional parental advice)
"Like a hen, she would comb her children's hair, even if it meant a struggle." (Descriptive usage in memoirs or family stories)
"She took up the comb, and began to comb out her long, shining hair." (Classic fairy tale motif, e.g., Rapunzel)
"The police began to comb the woods for any sign of the missing hiker." (Common in news reports and crime novels)
Etymology
The word "comb" has a long and interesting history, tracing its roots back thousands of years.
The etymology of "comb" comes from the Old English word "camb". This "camb" itself is derived from the Proto-Germanic "*kambaz", which means "tool with teeth."
This Proto-Germanic word, in turn, is thought to come from the even older Proto-Indo-European root "*gombhos", meaning "tooth" or "peg." This connection to "tooth" makes a lot of sense, as the most recognizable feature of a comb is its teeth. You can see this same root in words like "jaw" and "gum" in other languages.
The first known use and meaning of "comb" (or its ancestors) referred directly to a toothed instrument used for arranging hair or fibers. Evidence suggests that combs have been used since prehistoric times, made from materials like bone, wood, and horn. The meaning has remained remarkably consistent over millennia. Over time, the meaning expanded to include other things that resembled a comb (like a rooster's comb) or actions that mimicked combing (like searching thoroughly).
Phrases + Idioms Containing Comb
Comb through: To search meticulously and thoroughly.
Example: "We had to comb through years of archives to find that document."
Fine-tooth comb: To examine something in great detail; with extreme thoroughness.
Example: "The detective went over the crime scene with a fine-tooth comb."
Comb one's hair: To tidy or arrange one's hair with a comb.
Example: "She stopped for a moment to comb her hair before the meeting."
Comb the area/woods/city: To search an area extensively, typically for something lost or hidden.
Example: "Rescue teams will comb the woods at dawn."
Comb over: (Less common, but implies covering up or smoothing over, often related to hair)
Example: "He tried to comb over his bald spot."
Rake over the coals: (Using a synonym, "rake," to mean to severely criticize or scold someone)
Example: "After the mistake, he was raked over the coals by his boss."
Brush aside: (Using a synonym, "brush," to mean to dismiss or ignore something)
Example: "She tried to tell him her concerns, but he just brushed them aside."
A hair's breadth: (Though not directly using "comb," it relates to hair and implies a very small margin, often when avoiding something).
Example: "They escaped the accident by a hair's breadth."
Smooth things over: (Implies making a situation less difficult or tense, similar to smoothing tangled hair)
Example: "After the argument, he tried to smooth things over with an apology."
Untangle a mess: (Relates to the act of using a comb to untangle, but applied metaphorically to complex situations)
Example: "It took hours to untangle the mess in the financial records."
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of comb from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
