COMB

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English camb; akin to Old High German kamb ~, Greek gomphos tooth Date: before 12th century 1. a toothed instrument used especially for adjusting, cleaning, or confining hair, a structure resembling such a ~, curry~ , 2. a fleshy crest on the head of the domestic chicken and other domestic birds, something (as the ridge of a roof) resembling the ~ of a cock, honey~ , ~ed adjective ~like adjective II. verb Date: 14th century transitive verb to draw a ~ through for the purpose of arranging or cleaning, to pass across with a scraping or raking action, 3. to eliminate (as with a ~) by a thorough going-over, to search or examine systematically , to use in a ~ing action, intransitive verb to roll over or break into foam, to make a thorough search , III. abbreviation ~ination; ~ined; ~ining, ~ustion