horse-comb

The groom uses a horse-comb to brush the horse's coat.

Definition

Noun: A tool used for grooming a horse, specifically a comb or brush designed to clean and maintain the horse's coat.

Usage Examples

• (A grooming tool for horses.)
• (A comb for tidying a horse's hair.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "horse-comb" is less common in modern English; it is often replaced by "curry comb" or "grooming comb." It may appear in historical or rural contexts.
  • In the old stable, a rusty horse-comb hung on the wall, a relic of past care. (A historical grooming tool.)

Variants and Related Words

• Horse brush (n): a broader term for any brush used on horses.

  • The stable hand preferred a soft horse brush for the final polish. (A brush for grooming.)

• Curry comb (n): a specific type of horse-comb with metal teeth, used to remove mud and loose hair.

  • The curry comb is essential for deep cleaning a horse's coat. (A specialized grooming tool.)

Synonyms

• Grooming comb: a comb used for cleaning animals.
• Stable comb: a comb kept in a stable for horse care.

Related Idioms

• There are no common idioms directly using "horse-comb." However, the broader concept of "grooming" appears in:
  • "To curry favor": to seek favor through flattery, derived from the grooming action of a curry comb.

    • She tried to curry favor with the boss by bringing him coffee. (To ingratiate oneself.)