Meaning of clean in English

1. Pronunciation

   /klin/

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   UK accent

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1. Verb

   clean

   Definitions

   1. make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances from

   Examples

   • « Clean the stove! »
   • « The dentist cleaned my teeth »

   Antonyms

   • dirty
   • soil
   • begrime
   • grime
   • colly
   • bemire
2. 2. remove unwanted substances from, such as feathers or pits

   Examples

   • « Clean the turkey »
3. 3. clean and tidy up the house

   Examples

   • « She housecleans every week »
4. 4. clean one's body or parts thereof, as by washing

   Examples

   • « clean up before you see your grandparents »
   • « clean your fingernails before dinner »
5. 5. be cleanable

   Examples

   • « This stove cleans easily »
6. 6. deprive wholly of money in a gambling game, robbery, etc.

   Examples

   • « The other players cleaned him completely »
7. 7. remove all contents or possession from, or empty completely

   Examples

   • « The boys cleaned the sandwich platters »
   • « The trees were cleaned of apples by the storm »
8. 8. remove while making clean

   Examples

   • « Clean the spots off the rug »
9. 9. remove unwanted substances from
10. 10. remove shells or husks from

    Examples

    • « clean grain before milling it »

11. Classifying Adjective

    clean

    Definitions

    1. free of restrictions or qualifications

    Examples

    • « a clean bill of health »
    • « a clear winner »

    Synonyms

    • unqualified
12. 2. (of sound or color) free from anything that dulls or dims

    Examples

    • « efforts to obtain a clean bass in orchestral recordings »
    • « clear laughter like a waterfall »
    • « clear reds and blues »
    • « a light lilting voice like a silver bell »

    Synonyms

    • pure
13. 3. free from impurities

    Examples

    • « clean water »
    • « fresh air »

    Synonyms

    • pure
14. 4. without difficulties or problems

    Examples

    • « a clean test flight »

    Synonyms

    • perfect
15. 5. free from sepsis or infection

    Examples

    • « a clean (or uninfected) wound »

    Synonyms

    • antiseptic
16. 6. morally pure

    Examples

    • « led a clean life »

    Synonyms

    • moral
17. 7. (of a manuscript) having few alterations or corrections

    Examples

    • « fair copy »
    • « a clean manuscript »

    Synonyms

    • legible
18. 8. of a surface

    Examples

    • « not written or printed on »
    • « blank pages »
    • « fill in the blank spaces »
    • « a clean page »
    • « wide white margins »

    Synonyms

    • empty
19. 9. marked by or calling for sportsmanship or fair play

    Examples

    • « a clean fight »
    • « a sporting solution of the disagreement »
    • « sportsmanlike conduct »

    Synonyms

    • fair
    • just
20. 10. thorough and without qualification

    Examples

    • « a clean getaway »
    • « a clean sweep »
    • « a clean break »

    Synonyms

    • complete
21. 11. (of a record) having no marks of discredit or offense

    Examples

    • « a clean voting recor »
    • « a clean driver's license »

    Synonyms

    • unblemished
22. 12. not carrying concealed weapons

    Synonyms

    • unarmed
23. 13. free from clumsiness

    Examples

    • « precisely or deftly executed »
    • « he landed a clean left on his opponent's cheek »
    • « a clean throw »
    • « the neat exactness of the surgeon's knife »

    Synonyms

    • adroit
24. 14. free of drugs

    Examples

    • « after a long dependency on heroin she has been clean for 4 years »

    Synonyms

    • unaddicted

25. Adverb

    clean

    Definitions

    1. completely

    Examples

    • « used as intensifiers »
    • « clean forgot the appointment »
    • « I'm plumb (or plum) tuckered out »
26. 2. in conformity with the rules or laws and without fraud or cheating

    Examples

    • « they played fairly »

    Antonyms

    • unfairly
    • below the belt

27. Noun

    clean

    Definitions

    1. a weightlift in which the barbell is lifted to shoulder height and then jerked overhead

28. Qualitative Adjective

    clean

    Etymology

    Old English clǣne, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German klein‘small’

    Definitions

    1. free from dirt or impurities

    Examples

    • « or having clean habits »
    • « children with clean shining faces »
    • « clean white shirts »
    • « clean dishes »
    • « a spotlessly clean house »
    • « cats are clean animals »

    Synonyms

    • cleanable
    • cleaned
    • cleansed
    • cleanly
    • dry-cleaned
    • fresh
    • unused
    • immaculate
    • speckless
    • spick-and-span
    • spic-and-span
    • spic
    • spick
    • spotless
    • pristine
    • unsoiled
    • unspotted
    • unstained
    • unsullied
    • washed
    • water-washed
    • scrubbed

    Antonyms

    • dirty
    • soiled
    • unclean
29. 2. ritually clean or pure

    Synonyms

    • halal
    • kosher
    • cosher

    Antonyms

    • unclean
    • impure
30. 3. not spreading pollution or contamination

    Examples

    • « especially radioactive contamination »
    • « a clean fuel »
    • « cleaner and more efficient engines »
    • « the tactical bomb is reasonably clean »

    Antonyms

    • dirty
    • contaminating
31. 4. (of behavior or especially language) free from objectionable elements

    Examples

    • « fit for all observers »
    • « good clean fun »
    • « a clean joke »

    Synonyms

    • antiseptic

    Antonyms

    • dirty

See also

• decent