̘. ̈n.ˈkɔmbaɪn v. & n. --v. 1 tr. & intr.
join together;
unite for a
common purpose. 2 tr.
possess (qualities usually distinct) together (combines
charm and authority). 3 a intr.
coalesce in
one substance. b tr.
cause to do
this. c intr.
form a
chemical compound. 4 intr.
cooperate. 5 tr.
harvest (crops etc.) by
means of a combine
harvester. --n. a
combination of
esp.
commercial interests to
control prices etc. øcombine harvester a
mobile machine that reaps and threshes in one
operation. combining form Gram. a
linguistic element used in combination
with another element to form a
word (e.g. Anglo=
English, bio=
life,
-graphy writing). °In this
dictionary, combining form is used of an element that contributes to
the particular sense of words (as with
both elements of biography), as
distinct from a
prefix or
suffix that adjusts the sense of or determines the
function of words (as with un-,
-able, and -ation). øøcombinable adj. [ME f. OF combiner or LL combinare (as
COM-, L bini two)]
