fine-tooth comb
/ˌfaɪnˌtuθ ˈkoʊm/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.41 in modern English
25
Scrabble Score
13
Letters
4
Syllables
10
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A comb with fine, closely spaced teeth, especially one used for removing head lice and their nits (eggs) from the hair; a nit comb.
Example Sentences
- "The practice of combing the heads of children too frequently with a fine tooth comb is a bad one, as the points of the teeth are quite sure to scratch and irritate the scalp, and are almost sure to produce scurf or dandruff."
- "'Member dat rainy eve dat I drove you out, Wid nothing but a fine tooth comb?"
- "The police went through his possessions with a fine-tooth comb."
- "If you had to make some verses on the topics of the day, You would read the morning papers rather fully; For you’d like to find a theme to make your readers shout: “Hooray!” And to make your Dear Employer say: “That’s bully!” You would scan aforesaid journals with a very fine-tooth comb (With the metaphors I’m something of a mixer.) For a nifty little subject you could pad into a pome; And you’d have to be about it pretty quick, sir."
- ""There's one other way of discovering the writer,—find a Rem-Smith typewriter with an alignment imperfect in just this way." "Yes," said Astro. "We might begin and fine-tooth-comb the city for it.:Template:..""
Etymology
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˌfaɪnˌtuθ ˈkoʊm/
- British English: /ˌfaɪntuːθ ˈkəʊm/