fine-tooth combing
Thorough detailed inspection
Fine-tooth combing is thorough, meticulous examination—searching through something with extreme care to find every detail, error, or hidden item.
The image comes from using a fine-tooth comb to remove lice or nits from hair, where nothing escapes detection: The contract needs some fine-tooth combing before we sign.
Also appears as fine-toothed combing.
- scrutinizingExamining something very closely
- under the microscopeBeing closely examined
- quality controlMaintaining production standards
- leaving no stone unturnedInvestigating every possible avenue
- inspectionFormal assessment of condition
precision · thoroughness · meticulousness · carefulness · dotting the i's · analysis · fact checking · cross checking · double checking · proofreading · detail-oriented · close reading · forensic investigation · debugging · diligence · auditing · reviewing · scanning
fine-tooth combingquick glance
Short, rapid look
once-over · skim · skimming · quick scan · glossing over
fine-tooth combingoverlooking
Failing to see or consider
neglect · inattention · carelessness · disregard · oversight
fine, tooth, comb, finest, finely, fineness, toothy, toothless, combed