6 → see also agony column , gossip column , personal column , spinal column , steering column
col|umn|ist /kɒ ləm I st/ (columnists ) N‑COUNT A columnist is a journalist who regularly writes a particular kind of article in a newspaper or magazine. □ [+ for ] Clarence Page is a columnist for the Chicago Tribune.
coma /koʊ mə/ (comas ) N‑COUNT [usu in/into N ] Someone who is in a coma is in a state of deep unconsciousness. □ She was in a coma for seven weeks.
co|ma|tose /koʊ mətoʊs/
1 ADJ A person who is comatose is in a coma. [MEDICAL ] □ The right side of my brain had been so severely bruised that I was comatose for a month.
2 ADJ [oft ADJ after v] A person who is comatose is in a deep sleep, usually because they are tired or have drunk too much alcohol. [INFORMAL ] □ Grandpa lies comatose on the sofa.
comb /koʊ m/ (combs , combing , combed )
1 N‑COUNT A comb is a flat piece of plastic or metal with narrow pointed teeth along one side, which you use to tidy your hair.
2 VERB When you comb your hair, you tidy it using a comb. □ [V n] Salvatore combed his hair carefully. □ [V -ed] Her reddish hair was cut short and neatly combed.
3 VERB If you comb a place, you search everywhere in it in order to find someone or something. □ [V n + for ] Officers combed the woods for the murder weapon. □ [V n] They fanned out and carefully combed the temple grounds.
4 VERB If you comb through information, you look at it very carefully in order to find something. □ [V + through ] Eight police officers then spent two years combing through the evidence.
5 → see also fine-tooth comb
com|bat ◆◇◇ (combats , combating or combatting , combated or combatted ) The noun is pronounced /kɒ mbæt/. The verb is pronounced /kəmbæ t/. 1 N‑UNCOUNT Combat is fighting that takes place in a war. □ Over 16 million men had died in combat. □ Yesterday saw hand-to-hand combat in the city. □ …combat aircraft.
2 N‑COUNT A combat is a battle, or a fight between two people. □ It was the end of a long combat.
3 VERB If people in authority combat something, they try to stop it happening. □ [V n] Congress has criticised new government measures to combat crime. SYNONYMS combat NOUN 1
fighting: More than nine hundred people have died in the fighting.
war: He spent part of the war in the National Guard.
battle: …after a gun battle between police and drug traffickers.
action: 13 soldiers were killed and 10 wounded in action.
conflict: …talks aimed at ending four decades of conflict. COLLOCATIONS combat NOUN
1
adjective + combat : gladiatorial, hand-to-hand, mortal, unarmed; aerial, frontline
2
adjective + combat : ferocious, long VERB 3
combat + noun : crime, extremism, fraud, terrorism; disease, obesity
com|bat|ant /kɒ mbət ə nt, [AM ] kəmbæ t-/ (combatants ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] A combatant is a person, group, or country that takes part in the fighting in a war. □ I have never suggested that U.N. forces could physically separate the combatants in the region. □ They come from the combatant nations.
com|bat|ive /kɒ mbət I v, [AM ] kəmbæ t I v/ ADJ A person who is combative is aggressive and eager to fight or argue. □ He conducted the meeting in his usual combative style, refusing to admit any mistakes. ● com|bat|ive|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ They quickly developed a reputation for combativeness.
co m|bat trou |sers N‑PLURAL [oft a pair of N ] Combat trousers are large, loose trousers with lots of pockets. □ He was wearing black combat trousers and a hooded fleece.
com|bi|na|tion ◆◇◇ /kɒ mb I ne I ʃ ə n/ (combinations ) N‑COUNT A combination of things is a mixture of them. □ [+ of ] …a fantastic combination of colours. □ [+ of ] …the combination of science and art. SYNONYMS combination NOUN
mix: The story is a magical mix of fantasy and reality.
mixture: They looked at him with a mixture of horror, envy, and awe.
blend: …a blend of wine and sparkling water.
compound: Honey is a compound of water, sugar, vitamins and enzymes.
fusion: His fusions of jazz, pop and African melodies have proved highly successful.
com|bi|na |tion lock (combination locks ) N‑COUNT A combination lock is a lock which can only be opened by turning a dial or a number of dials according to a particular series of letters or numbers. □ …a briefcase with combination locks.
com|bine ◆◇◇ (combines , combining , combined ) The verb is pronounced /kəmba I n/. The noun is pronounced /kɒ mba I n/. 1 VERB If you combine two or more things or if they combine , they exist together. □ [V n + with ] The Church has something to say on how to combine freedom with responsibility. □ [V to-inf] Relief workers say it's worse than ever as disease and starvation combine to kill thousands. □ [V -ed] This technique combined with any other therapy is perfectly safe. [Also V n]