toothcombs

Noun (1)

toothcomb (plural toothcombs)

1. (figuratively, proscribed, sometimes) A comb with finely spaced teeth, chiefly as a metaphorical means of making a thorough search.
   • The police went through all his possessions with a toothcomb.

Noun (2)

toothcomb (plural toothcombs)

1. (UK, proscribed, sometimes, transitive) A comb-like dental structure found in the lower jaws of certain primates consisting of long, flat front teeth with microscopic grooves, which are used for grooming fur.
   • There is no reason to doubt that the tooth comb is homologous in all the lemuriforms. The term tooth comb has recently been replaced by Martin (1972) with the concept of "tooth scraper," and he has stated that, although most living species of strepsirhines use their tooth combs for grooming, this...1979, Frederick S. Szalay, Eric Delson, “Suborder Strepsirhini”, in Evolutionary History of the Primates, New York, N.Y.; London: Academic Press, →ISBN, page 103, column 1

See all 4 meanings of toothcomb