german comb
Preserved but no longer current.
The four fingers and thumb. The Germans were the last nation to adopt periwigs; and while the French were never seen without a comb in one hand, the Germans adjusted their hair by running their fingers through it.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “german comb” mean?
The four fingers and thumb. The Germans were the last nation to adopt periwigs; and while the French were never seen without a comb in one hand, the Germans adjusted their hair by running their fingers through it.
Is “german comb” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.