Kemb

v. Obs. exc. dial. Forms: α. 1 cemban, (cæmban), 3 kemben, 3–7 kembe, (6 kimbe), 6– kemb. Pa. t. and pa. pple. 3–8 kembed, 3– kempt. β. 4 cemme, 6–7 kemm, 9 kem. γ. 4–6 keme, (6 keame, keyme), 7 keem. [Com. Teut.: OE. cęmban = OS. kembian, kemmian (MDu. kemmen), OHG. chempan (MHG. kemben, kemmen, G. kämmen), ON. kemba (Da. kæmme):—OTeut. *kambjan, f. kamb- COMB sb.¹ Now displaced by COMB v.¹ (f. the sb.; cf. Du. kammen, Sw. kamma), but partly surviving in the pa. pple. kempt, and the commoner unkempt.

  In ME. the vowel usually remained short, and the commonest spelling is kemb or kemm: forms indicating a long vowel are much less frequent. In later Sc. it is difficult to separate kemb or keme from kame = comb.]

  1.  trans. To disentangle and smooth (hair) by drawing a comb through it; to dress or trim (the hair, head, a person, etc.) with a comb; to curry (a horse): = COMB v.¹ 1. Now dial.

  α.  c. 1000.  Ælfric, Gram., xxviii. (Z.), 168. Pecto ic cembe [v.r. cæmbe].

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 422, marg. Ha mot oftere weschen & kemben hire holuet.

a. 1300.  Floriz & Bl., 562. Þat on his heued for to kembe Þat oþer bringe towaille and bacin.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1285. His longe heer was kembd [v.r. kemb, kempte] bihynde his bak.

a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour (1868), 99. As she kembed her hede atte a wyndow, the kinge perceiued her.

1562.  Bulleyn, Def. agst. Sickness, Bk. vse Sicke men, 67. Then begin with a fine Combe, to kembe the heere up and doun.

a. 1661.  Fuller, Worthies, III. (1662), 228. Not able to kembe his own head.

1725.  Bailey, Erasm. Colloq., 35. How often do you rub ’em down, or kemb them in a year?

1832.  Motherwell, Poems (1847), 131. While kembing locks like sunbeams glancing.

1874.  Holland, Mistr. Manse, xvi. 64. Clean and kempt, the little oaf … went forth.

  β.  13[?].  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 188. Þe mane of þat mayn hors … Wel cresped & cemmed.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), iv. 13. He sawe a damysell kemmand hir hare.

1508.  Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 275. Weil couth I … kemm his cowit noddill.

1561.  Hollybush, Hom. Apoth., 2. Strake or kemme the heyres.

1812.  W. Tennant, Anster Fair, IV. lxxvi. The mermaids … kem … Their long sleek oozy locks.

  γ.  1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VI. vi. (Tollem. MS.). Whan þe modir wascheþ and kemeþ hem.

a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour (1868), 45. This day we trow shalle not this lady be kemed, and arraied.

1557.  F. Seager, Sch. Vertue, 74, in Babees Bk., 338. Thy handes se thou washe, and thy hed keame [rhyme seame].

1618.  Sir T. Wilson, Jrnl., 21 Sept. (R. Suppl.). He [Raleigh] told me he was wont to keem his head a whole hour every day.

1639.  Horn & Robotham, Gate Lang. Unl., liii. § 586. The bush of haire … is keem’d with a combe.

a. 1835.  Hogg, Poems (1865), 33 (E. D. D.). They kemed her hair.

  b.  fig. To trim, make smooth or elegant.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Sqr.’s T., 552. So peynted he and kembde at point deuys As wel hise wordes as his contenaunce. Ibid. (c. 1391), Boeth., I. met. v. 14 (Camb. MS.). The fraude couered and kembd with a fals coloure.

  c.  humorously. To beat, thrash; = COMB v.¹ 3.

c. 1566.  Merie T., in Skelton’s Wks. (1843), I. p. lix. Hys wife woulde diuers tymes in the weeke kimbe his head with a iii. footed stoole.

1769.  Wallis, Antiq. Nhb., in N. & Q. (1877), 5th S. VII. 208. Kemb,… often used by borderers when they threaten in a passionate tone to beat an assailant.

  † 2.  To prepare (wool, flax, etc.) for spinning by parting and straightening the fibers with wool-combs or cards; = COMB v.¹ 2. Also absol. Obs.

a. 1300.  Sat. People Kildare, xix. in E. E. P. (1862), 155. Fi a debles kaites that kemith the wolle.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. X. 18. Carded with coueytise, as clotheres kemben here wolle. Ibid. (1393), C. X. 80. Boþe to karde and to kembe, to clouten and to wasche.

1543.  Traheron, Vigo’s Chirurg., II. IV. ii. 66. Unwashed woalle … or towe wel kembed.

1627–77.  Feltham, Resolves, II. lx. 285. We are like Flax that’s dress’d, and dry’d, and kemb’d.

1715.  trans. Pancirollus’ Rerum Mem., II. xxiv. 403. They were famous for kembing silken Fleeces.

  † b.  To tear or lacerate with a comb-like instrument. Obs.

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xx. (Blasius), 187. [He] gert þame keme his tendir flesch with Irne camys.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 121 b/1. Thenne the bochyers toke combes of yron and began to kembe hym on the sides within the flesshe.

  † 3.  To kemb from or off: to remove or obtain by means of combing, or by a similar process. Also with out. Cf. COMB v.¹ 4. Obs.

1601.  Holland, Pliny, VI. xvii. They kembe from the leaves of their trees the hoarie downe thereof.

1605.  Camden, Rem. (1637), 194. Sericum which was a doune kembed off the trees among the Seres.

1622.  Fletcher, Beggar’s Bush, II. i. No impositions, taxes, grievances … Lie lurking in this beard, but all kem’d out.

1626.  Bacon, Sylva, § 617. There are some Tears of Trees, which are kembed from the Beards of Goats.