fine-tooth, a.
[fine a. 7 d.]
Of a comb: having fine and closely-set teeth. Also in fig. phrases. So fine-tooth-comb v. trans., to comb (the hair of someone) with such an article; also fig. Hence fine-tooth-combing vbl. n.
| 1839 H. Malcom Trav. I. ii. 37 Friends who wish to make little presents to the Karen Christians, might send fine-tooth combs. 1849 Rep. Comm. Patents (U.S.) (1850) 267 Improvement in making Ivory fine-tooth Combs. 1878 B. F. Taylor Between Gates 246 As slender in the distance as a fine-tooth comb. 1889 G. B. Shaw London Music in 1888–89 (1937) 197 That lady benevolently clothed it [sc. a child], fine-tooth-combed it. 1891 Century Mag. Feb. 595 I'll go through this town like a fine-tooth comb but what I'll find him. 1935 ‘N. Blake’ Question of Proof xi. 221 We've been over the whole ruddy caboodle with a fine tooth comb. 1949 ‘N. R. Nash’ Young & Fair ii. ii. 71 But I'm going to fine-tooth-comb this school. 1957 Times Lit. Suppl. 22 Nov. 710/2 The general reader may..skip the fine-tooth combing of evidence. 1966 A. Firth Tall, Balding, Thirty-five xvii. 216 We've gone through the remains of the helicopter with a fine-tooth comb, but there wasn't much left. |