combing


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comb

 (kōm)
n.
1.
a. A thin toothed strip, as of plastic, used to smooth, arrange, or fasten the hair.
b. An implement, such as one for dressing and cleansing wool or other fiber, that resembles a hair comb in shape or use.
c. A currycomb.
2.
a. The fleshy crest or ridge that grows on the crown of the head of domestic fowl and other birds and is most prominent in the male.
b. Something suggesting a fowl's comb in appearance or position.
3. A honeycomb.
v. combed, comb·ing, combs
v.tr.
1.
a. To arrange or groom (the hair) with or as with a comb: combed her hair with a comb; combed his hair with his fingers.
b. To move through or pass across with a raking action: The wind combed the wheatfields.
2. To straighten and separate (wool or other fibers) using a comb.
3. To search thoroughly; look through: combed the dresser drawers for a lost bracelet.
4. To eliminate with or as with a comb: combed the snarls out of his hair.
v.intr.
1. To roll and break. Used of waves.
2. To make a thorough search: combed through the file for the contract.

[Middle English, from Old English camb, comb; see gembh- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.combing - the act of drawing a comb through haircombing - the act of drawing a comb through hair; "his hair needed a comb"
comb-out, teasing - the act of removing tangles from you hair with a comb
hair care, haircare, hairdressing - care for the hair: the activity of washing or cutting or curling or arranging the hair
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
References in classic literature ?
The duke was in the act of combing his beard, which he had allowed to grow, as well as his hair, in order to reproach Mazarin with his wretched appearance and condition.
His heart was torn with desire, although he made no sound, and he continued only to yearn over the companion combing and to listen to the faint sounds of Skipper's progress for'ard.
Leaving this god as a god unliked and not understood, Jerry sadly trotted back to the companionway and yearned his head over the combing in the direction in which he had seen Skipper disappear.
From the crest of the combing to the cabin floor was seven feet.
Get under the for'ard end." And, as the spectres of his nightmare metamorphosed: "Hush, darling, talking to your dad like that, telling him the combing of your sweet and golden hair.
He knew no more of poker hands than did he know of getting ships under way, of clearing up surface car wrecks in New York, or of combing the long yellow hair of a loved daughter in a Harlem flat.
"I am very glad I persuaded him to receive extreme unction tomorrow," she said, sitting in her dressing jacket before her folding looking glass, combing her soft, fragrant hair with a fine comb.
Then there came a wind, so strong that it blew off Curdken's hat; and away it flew over the hills: and he was forced to turn and run after it; till, by the time he came back, she had done combing and curling her hair, and had put it up again safe.
And soon came a gale of wind, and carried away Curdken's hat, and away went Curdken after it, while the girl went on combing and curling her hair.
And there behind her sat the lady's-maid, slowly combing out the long heavy locks of her young mistress's hair, with the sleepy resignation of a woman who had been engaged in that employment for some hours past.
It was one of her father's favorite jokes that she reminded him, on such occasions, of a cat having her back stroked, and that he always expected, if the combing were only continued long enough, to hear her purr.
She went on combing and oiling his beard as composedly as ever.