combed
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Made neat and orderly by using a comb: Describes hair that has been arranged, smoothed, or untangled by drawing a comb through it.
- Having a specific style created by combing: Often used to describe hair set in a particular direction or pattern using a comb.
Usage and Examples
- General Use:
- She arrived with perfectly combed hair. (Her hair was neat and smooth from being brushed with a comb.)
- After his shower, his wet, combed hair looked darker. (His hair was tidy and arranged after he combed it while wet.)
- Describing a Style:
- He has his hair combed straight back. (His hair is styled backward using a comb.)
- The old photograph showed a boy with neatly combed hair to the side. (The boy's hair was carefully parted and smoothed to one side with a comb.)
Advanced Usage
- "freshly combed": very recently combed, emphasizing neatness.
- His freshly combed beard was impressive. (His beard showed clear signs of having just been combed.)
- "well-combed" / "neatly combed": combed thoroughly and carefully.
- The job interview requires well-combed hair and professional attire. (Tidy, carefully arranged hair is required.)
Variants and Related Words
- Comb (verb): To draw a comb through hair to tidy, style, or untangle it.
- You should comb your hair before we leave.
- Uncombed (adjective): Not combed; messy or tangled.
- He ran out with uncombed hair.
- Comb-over (noun): A hairstyle where hair is combed over a bald spot. (This is a related compound noun, not a direct variant of "combed").
- He tried to hide his bald spot with a comb-over.
Synonyms
- Groomed: Made neat and tidy, especially in appearance.
- Brushed: Smoothed or arranged with a brush (similar action but with a different tool).
- Tidy: Neat and orderly in appearance.
Antonyms
- Disheveled: Untidy, disordered, especially of hair or clothing.
- Unkempt: Not combed; having an untidy or uncared-for appearance.
- Messed-up: Informal for untidy or disordered.
Notes on Usage
- The word "combed" is almost exclusively used as an adjective to describe the state of hair (or occasionally fur/wool) after the action of combing. It is the past participle of the verb "to comb" used adjectivally.
- It is typically used before a noun (e.g., combed hair) or after a linking verb like "was" or "looked" (e.g., His hair was combed).
- While "combed" refers to the result, the verb "comb" refers to the action. Do not confuse "combed hair" (the styled result) with "to comb hair" (the activity).
Adjective
- (of hair) made tidy with a comb
- with hair combed to the side