comb
comb — noun
1. A flat grooming tool with thin pointed parts (teeth) along one edge, used to kee
A flat grooming tool with thin pointed parts (teeth) along one edge, used to keep the hair smooth and tidy.
Leila borrowed her sister's comb before the job interview.
countable noun: a comb
A wide-toothed comb works best for untangling curly hair.
compound modifier: wide-toothed comb
The wooden comb had three teeth missing after it fell onto the floor.
Priya always keeps a small comb in her bag for quick touch-ups during the day.
2. A small decorative comb that is placed in the hair to hold it back from the face
A small decorative comb that is placed in the hair to hold it back from the face or to add ornament.
Yara wore a silver comb to keep her braids in place at the wedding.
decorative accessory: silver comb
The antique comb on her dressing table was decorated with tiny blue stones.
Beatriz pushed the comb firmly into her bun so it would not slip out.
Hana collects vintage combs from the 1920s for their beautiful designs.
用法筆記
This sense overlaps with sense 1 when the comb is worn as decoration. The difference is that sense 1 emphasises the grooming function, while sense 2 emphasises appearance and ornament.
3. The red fleshy part that sits above the beak on chickens and birds of a similar
The red fleshy part that sits above the beak on chickens and birds of a similar type.
The rooster's red comb stood out sharply against his white feathers.
body part of a bird: rooster's comb
Kofi noticed that the hen's comb was pale, so he called the vet immediately.
The farmer checks each chicken's comb every morning for signs of illness or injury.
Young chicks do not develop a visible comb until they are several weeks old.
用法筆記
Sometimes called a cockscomb. The comb is larger and brighter in male birds (roosters) and is used to attract mates.
常見錯誤
4. A block of six-sided wax cells that bees build inside their hive to hold honey a
A block of six-sided wax cells that bees build inside their hive to hold honey and raise their young.
The beekeeper gently lifted a piece of honeycomb from the wooden frame.
countable: a piece of honeycomb
Bees fill each cell of the honeycomb with nectar collected from flowers.
The perfect hexagonal pattern of the honeycomb is a well-known natural wonder.
Rohan carefully cut a small piece of honeycomb to spread on his toast.
Empty honeycomb can be melted down for natural wax used in candles and polish.
- honeycomb
The full form; comb is an abbreviation used among beekeepers
- beeswax structure
A descriptive phrase rather than a direct synonym, used to clarify the material
用法筆記
Often shortened to just comb in beekeeping contexts ('the bees filled the comb with honey'). Do not confuse with the headword's main grooming sense.
常見錯誤
comb — verb
1. To move a comb through the hair to make it smooth, neat, and free of tangles.
To move a comb through the hair to make it smooth, neat, and free of tangles.
Theo combed his hair carefully before the school photo was taken.
transitive: comb + object
Amara stood in front of the mirror combing her long wet hair after the shower.
The little girl tried to comb her doll's tangled hair with her fingers.
The Watanabe family always comb their hair before sitting down for breakfast.
Noa combed her hair with her fingers because she could not find her brush.
文法句型
comb + object (hair)
用法筆記
When the object is omitted (e.g. 'She combed and left'), the sense is still understood. The object (hair) is implied unless another object is specified.
常見錯誤
2. To look through every part of a place or area with great care, hoping to find so
To look through every part of a place or area with great care, hoping to find something or someone.
Police combed the forest all night looking for the lost child.
comb + place + for + target
The detective combed through every document in the old filing cabinet.
Rescue teams combed the beach after the storm washed debris ashore.
Jin combed the library shelves for any book about ancient pottery techniques.
The night-shift nurse combed the hospital records for her patient's old test results.
- scour
Stronger emphasis on rubbing or scrubbing while searching; more intense than comb
- scan
Quick or superficial look, unlike comb which implies methodical thoroughness
- sift through
Focuses on sorting through a collection rather than searching a large area
- rummage
Messy or hurried searching, the opposite of comb's systematic approach
文法句型
comb + place + for + thing searched
用法筆記
Often used with through to emphasise thoroughness ('combed through the files'). The object must be a physical space or a collection of items (files, records, shelves), not an abstract concept.