Search results for 'clean':

clean adj (cleaner, cleanest) 1 free from dirt or contamination. 2 not containing anything harmful to health; pure. 3 pleasantly fresh • a clean taste. 4 recently washed. 5 hygienic in habits • a clean animal. 6 unused; unmarked • a clean sheet of paper. 7 neat and even • a clean cut. 8 simple and elegant • a ship with good clean lines. 9 clear of legal offences • a clean driving licence. 10 morally pure; innocent. 11 said of humour, etc: not offensive or obscene. 12 fair • a clean fight. 13 slang not carrying drugs or offensive weapons. 14 slang a cured of drug addiction; b said of athletes, etc: free from drugs or banned substances when tested. 15 said of a wound: showing no signs of infection. 16 said of nuclear installations, etc: not producing a harmful level of radioactivity. 17 said of an aeroplane's landing gear: in a retracted position. 18 relig said of certain animals: allowed for people to eat. 19 said of musical sounds: pure and accurate. 20 absolute; complete • make a clean break. adverb 1 colloq completely • I clean forgot. 2 straight or directly; encountering no obstruction • sailed clean through the window. verb (cleaned, cleaning) 1 tr & intr to make or become free from dirt. 2 tr & intr to dry-clean or be dry-cleaned. 3 intrans to dust, polish floors and furniture, etc in a house or office, especially as a job. 4 to prepare (vegetables, etc) for cooking or eating by cutting away the inedible parts. noun 1 an act of cleaning. 2 weightlifting a lift of the weight as far as the shoulders, with the legs and arms bent. cleanness noun. come clean colloq to admit or tell the truth about something that one has previously concealed or lied about. have clean hands colloq to have no connection with the crime, etc in question. make a clean breast of something to confess or admit to having done it, especially through feelings of guilt. show a clean pair of heels to run away, especially quickly. wipe the slate clean see under slate¹.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon clæne.