Part 362

Comb, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Combed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Combing.] To disentangle, cleanse, or adjust, with a comb; to lay smooth and straight with, or as with, a comb; as, to comb hair or wool. See under Combing.

Comb down his hair; look, look! it stands upright. Shak.

Comb, v. i. [See Comb, n., 5.] (Naut.) To roll over, as the top or crest of a wave; to break with a white foam, as waves.

{ Comb, Combe (? or ?), } n. [AS. comb, prob. of Celtic origin; cf. W. cwm a dale, valley.] That unwatered portion of a valley which forms its continuation beyond and above the most elevated spring that issues into it. [Written also coombe.] Buckland.

A gradual rise the shelving combe Displayed. Southey.

Comb, n. A dry measure. See Coomb.

Com"bat (? or ?; 277), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Combated; p. pr. & vb. n. Combating.] [F. combattre; pref. com- + battre to beat, fr. L. battuere to strike. See Batter.] To struggle or contend, as with an opposing force; to fight.

To combat with a blind man I disdain. Milton.

After the fall of the republic, the Romans combated only for the choice of masters. Gibbon.

Com"bat, v. t. To fight with; to oppose by force, argument, etc.; to contend against; to resist.

When he the ambitious Norway combated. Shak.

And combated in silence all these reasons. Milton.

Minds combat minds, repelling and repelled. Goldsmith.

Syn. -- To fight against; resist; oppose; withstand; oppugn; antagonize; repel; resent.

Com"bat, n. [Cf. F. combat.] 1. A fight; a contest of violence; a struggle for supremacy.

My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st. Shak.

The noble combat that 'twixt joy and sorrow was fought in Paulina. Shak.

2. (Mil.) An engagement of no great magnitude; or one in which the parties engaged are not armies.

Single combat, one in which a single combatant meets a single opponent, as in the case of David and Goliath; also, a duel.

Syn. -- A battle; engagement; conflict; contest; contention; struggle; fight, strife. See Battle, Contest.

Com"bat*a*ble (? or ?), a. [Cf. F. combattable.] Such as can be, or is liable to be, combated; as, combatable foes, evils, or arguments.

Com"bat*ant (?), a. [F. combattant, p. pr.] Contending; disposed to contend. B. Jonson.

Com"bat*ant, n. [F. combattant.] One who engages in combat. "The mighty combatants." Milton.

A controversy which long survived the original combatants. Macaulay

Com"bat*er (?), n. One who combats. Sherwood.

Com"bat*ive (? or &?;), a. Disposed to engage in combat; pugnacious.

Com"bat*ive*ness, n. 1. The quality of being combative; propensity to contend or to quarrel.

2. (Phren.) A cranial development supposed to indicate a combative disposition.