comb

comb — noun

IPA/kəʊm/
KK[kˈom]IPA/kəʊm/
  • combsingular
  • combsplural

1. a grooming tool with a row of pointed teeth, used to untangle and smooth your ha

1.nounA2
Definition

a grooming tool with a row of pointed teeth, used to untangle and smooth your hair. Combs come in materials such as plastic, wood, and metal.

Example

Léa always carries a small comb in her bag for touch-ups during the day.

collocation: carry a comb

The wooden comb on the bathroom shelf belonged to Minho's grandfather.

Common collocations
  • wide-tooth comb
  • fine-tooth comb
  • pocket comb
  • plastic comb
  • metal comb
  • wooden comb
Synonyms
  • brush

    a brush has soft bristles and is used for styling or smoothing hair; a comb has teeth and is used for detangling and parting

Grammar Patterns

comb + noun

comb + of + material

Common Mistakes

I need to buy a new comb for my hairs.
I need to buy a new comb for my hair.
'Hair' referring to all the hair on your head is uncountable in English.

2. a decorative object shaped like a comb, worn in the hair to hold strands togethe

2.nounB1
Definition

a decorative object shaped like a comb, worn in the hair to hold strands together or add beauty without being used for everyday grooming.

Example

Zola wore a silver comb in her hair at the wedding ceremony.

pattern: wear a comb in one's hair

The antique comb with tiny flowers was passed through three generations of the Liu family.

Common collocations
  • decorative comb
  • silver comb
  • ornamental comb
  • hair comb
  • tortoiseshell comb
Synonyms
  • hair clip

    a clip fastens hair with a spring mechanism; a comb is slid into the hair without a clasp

  • barrette

    a barrette is a specific type of decorative clip that snaps shut, while a decorative comb simply slides in

Grammar Patterns

comb + in + location (hair)

Usage Note

Unlike the basic hair-tool sense (noun/1), this sense always refers to a comb worn as an accessory, not one used for actual combing. The comb may be purely decorative.

3. the red fleshy ridge found atop a chicken's head, located just above the beak on

3.nounB2
Definition

the red fleshy ridge found atop a chicken's head, located just above the beak on domestic fowl.

Example

The rooster's bright red comb stood proudly on top of his head.

collocation: red comb

The farmer checked each hen's comb for illness before letting them into the yard.

Common collocations
  • red comb
  • rooster's comb
  • chicken's comb
  • bright comb
  • fleshy comb
Synonyms
  • crest

    crest is a broader term for any growth on a bird's head; comb specifically refers to the fleshy red one on chickens and related birds

Grammar Patterns

comb + of + bird species

4. the action of pulling a comb through your hair to arrange it, usually in phrases

4.nounB1
Definition

the action of pulling a comb through your hair to arrange it, usually in phrases like 'give your hair a comb'.

Example

Mauricio gave his hair a quick comb before the meeting started.

pattern: give + hair + a comb

After swimming, Rania gave her wet hair a thorough comb to remove the tangles.

Common collocations
  • quick comb
  • thorough comb
  • careful comb
  • last comb

Grammar Patterns

give + noun + a comb

need + a comb

Usage Note

This sense appears almost exclusively in phrases with 'give' or 'need' followed by an article + 'comb'. You would not normally say 'I did a comb of my hair.'

5. a structure made of many six-sided cells, built by bees from wax to store honey

5.nounB2
Definition

a structure made of many six-sided cells, built by bees from wax to store honey and keep their eggs; also called honeycomb.

Example

The beekeeper carefully removed a piece of comb from the hive using a smoker.

collocation: piece of comb

Fresh honey dripped from the golden comb onto the kitchen counter.

Common collocations
  • wax comb
  • honey comb
  • bee comb
  • piece of comb
  • build a comb
  • remove a comb
Synonyms
  • honeycomb

    honeycomb is the more common everyday word; 'comb' alone in this sense is often used by beekeepers or in technical contexts

Grammar Patterns

comb + of + material

piece of comb

comb — verb

IPA/kəʊm/
KK[kˈom]IPA/koʊm/

comb — abbreviation

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

All four verbs describe trying to find something, but they differ in intensity, method, and scope. 'Search' is the most general word — it simply means looking for something and can be used for any situation ('search the house for keys'). 'Comb' adds a sense of thorough, systematic coverage: you check every part of a place just as a comb passes through every strand of hair ('the police combed the entire park'). 'Scour' is even more intense than 'comb' and often implies speed or urgency alongside thoroughness ('they scoured the coastline before dark'). 'Sift through' is different — it works best with collections of things rather than physical spaces, suggesting you examine each item one by one ('sift through a pile of documents'). Use 'comb' when you want to stress that no corner was left unchecked, and 'scour' when urgency is part of the picture.

comb ↗search ↗scoursift through ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • fine-tooth comb
  • give something a comb

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishEnglish

The word 'comb' comes from Old English 'camb', which traces back to the Proto-Germanic '*kambaz', meaning a toothed tool for hair. This Germanic root came from an even older Proto-Indo-European source '*gombhos', meaning 'tooth' or 'something with teeth'. The basic meaning has remained stable for over a thousand years: a tool with teeth used for arranging hair. The same ancient root appears in the Greek 'gōmphos' (a tooth or peg) and in the Sanskrit 'jambha' (tooth or tusk). The figurative sense 'search thoroughly' developed in English in the 1800s from the idea of running a comb through every part of something.

First known use

12th century

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Verb