fine-tooth comb
A comb with fine, closely spaced teeth, especially one used for removing head lice and…A comb with fine, closely spaced teeth, especially one used for removing head lice and their nits (eggs) from the hair; a nit comb.
Translations
4 languagesBy meaning 1
Meaning
2 sensesA comb with fine, closely spaced teeth, especially one used for removing head lice and their nits (eggs) from the hair; a nit comb.
густо́й гребешо́кgustój grebešók
(figuratively)A means of making a thorough search.
The police went through his possessions with a fine-tooth comb.
Lupe
- a comb with teeth set close together
- a method of examining in minute detail
Origin
The noun is derived from fine (“particularly slender”) + tooth (“sharp projection”) + combThe noun is derived from fine (“particularly slender”) + tooth (“sharp projection”) + comb. The verb is derived from the noun.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: fine-tooth combsSynonyms
2 synonyms- a comb with teeth set close together:fine-toothed comb
- a method of examining in minute detail:fine-toothed comb
Word family
2 related wordsSee also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.