comb
noun
a toothed strip of plastic, hard rubber, bone, wood, or metal, used for arranging the hair, untangling it, or holding it in place.
had been combing
-
past perfect progressiveof comb.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Police had been combing nearby bush and desert for Lewis, who was released from prison six days before Kumanjayi Little Baby disappeared and vanished around the same time.
From BBC ● Apr. 30, 2026
Search crews had been combing the area looking for Mr. Sands for months despite their efforts being complicated by dangerous conditions, including heavy rain and snow, some of which lingered into June.
From New York Times ● Jun. 27, 2023
Authorities said Monday that one body had been recovered by search crews that had been combing the area off the coast since the crash was reported Sunday.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 15, 2022
The SEC had been combing through Horwitz’s bank records for weeks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2021
Clifford Sifton's agents had been combing the United Kingdom as they had combed the western states.
From The Canadian Commonwealth by Agnes C. (Agnes Christina) Laut
