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The Collaborative International Dictionary
fine-toothed

fine-tooth \fine-tooth\ fine-toothed \fine-toothed\adj. having fine teeth set close together; as, a fine-tooth comb.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
fine-toothed

c.1600, "epicurean, having delicate tastes," from fine (adj.) + toothed "having teeth" (of a certain kind); see tooth (n.). By 1703 as "having fine teeth" (of a saw, file, comb, etc.); fine-tooth in this sense attested from 1804.

Wiktionary
fine-toothed

a. Of a comb, brush, or similar implement, having small teeth placed close together.

WordNet
fine-toothed

adj. having fine teeth set close together; "a fine-toothed comb" [syn: fine-toothed(a), fine-tooth(a)]

Usage examples of "fine-toothed".

A lot of people were getting away with murder, and the appeals courts go over insanity rulings with a fine-toothed comb to make sure that the presiding judge hasn't been hoodwinked.

One day, some nosy sociologist of science would be able to go through his work with a fine-toothed comb, searching for evidence of fudging and fraud.

I'll be going over this planet with an extremely fine-toothed comb.

Giuseppe had in hand a small fine-toothed saw and a huge pair of pliers.