Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
COMB
I. noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English camb; akin to Old High German kamb comb, Greek gomphos tooth Date: before 12th century
1. a toothed instrument used especially for adjusting, cleaning, or confining hair, a structure resembling such a comb, currycomb ,
2. a fleshy crest on the head of the domestic chicken and other domestic birds, something (as the ridge of a roof) resembling the comb of a cock, honeycomb , combed adjective comblike adjective
II. verb
Date: 14th century
transitive verb to draw a comb through for the purpose of arranging or cleaning, to pass across with a scraping or raking action,
3. to eliminate (as with a comb) by a thorough going-over, to search or examine systematically , to use in a combing action, intransitive verb to roll over or break into foam, to make a thorough search ,
III. abbreviation combination; combined; combining, combustion