v. & n.
--v.
1. tr. & intr. join together; unite for a common purpose.
2 tr. possess (qualities usually distinct) together (combines charm and authority).
3 a intr. coalesce in one substance. b tr. cause to do this. c intr. form a chemical compound.
4 intr. cooperate.
5 tr. harvest (crops etc.) by means of a combine harvester.
--n. a combination of esp. commercial interests to control prices etc.
Phrases and idioms:
combine harvester a mobile machine that reaps and threshes in one operation. combining form Gram. a linguistic element used in combination with another element to form a word (e.g. Anglo- English, bio- life, -graphy writing).
Usage:
In this dictionary, combining form is used of an element that contributes to the particular sense of words (as with both elements of biography), as distinct from a prefix or suffix that adjusts the sense of or determines the function of words (as with un-, -able, and -ation).
Derivatives:
combinable adj.
Etymology: ME f. OF combiner or LL combinare (as COM-, L bini two)