comb out

verb combs out · combing out · combed out

1. transitive To remove (something) by combing; to thoroughly comb (something); to thoroughly comb (something) so as to remove something else from it (such as tangles, dirt, or nits). I combed out the tangles in my hair. I combed them all out with that fancy comb that Ashley gave me.
2. figuratively, transitive To winnow; for example, to exempt (someone) from a military draft by filtering them out of the list. The government combed out some people from the compulsory action.