combing

CIDE DICTIONARY

combing, n. 

•  The act or process of using a comb or a number of combs; as, the combing of one's hair; the combing of wool.  [1913 Webster]

  " The process of combing is used in straightening wool of long staple; short wool is carded."  [1913 Webster]
•  That which is caught or collected with a comb, as loose, tangled hair.  [1913 Webster]

  "The baldness, thinness, and . . . deformity of their hair is supplied by borders and combings."

Combing machine (Textile Manuf.), a machine for combing wool, flax, cotton, etc., and separating the longer and more valuable fiber from the shorter. See also Carding machine, under Carding.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

combing, n. (in pl.) hairs combed off.

Idiom

combing wool long-stapled wool, suitable for combing and making into worsted.