1a : free from dirt or pollution changed to clean clothes clean solar energy
b of a precious stone : having no interior flaws visible
3a : free from moral corruption or sinister connections of any kind a candidate with a clean record also : free from violations a clean driving record
b : free from offensive treatment of sexual subjects and from the use of obscenity a clean joke
4 : ceremonially or spiritually pure and all who are clean may eat flesh Leviticus 7:19 [Revised Standard Version]
c : hit beyond the reach of an opponent a clean single to center
c : free from external hindrances to smooth flow [as of water or air] a clean airplane a ship with a clean bottom
b : free from drug addiction has been clean for six months
d of a computer : not having anything added by a user installed the software on a clean computer
1a : so as to clean a new broom sweeps clean
b : in a clean manner play the game clean
transitive verb
1a : to make clean: such as
[2] : to rid of corruption vowing to clean up city hall
b : to remove the entrails from clean fish
c : to deprive of money or possessions often used with out they cleaned him out completely
1 : to clean a house and its furniture
2 : to make sweeping reforms or changes [as of personnel]
: to beat one badly in a fight or competition
: to behave in a more acceptable manner
Other Words from clean
Verb
Synonyms & Antonyms for clean
Synonyms: Adjective
Synonyms: Adverb
Synonyms: Verb
Antonyms: Adjective
Antonyms: Adverb
Antonyms: Verb
Visit the Thesaurus for MoreExamples of clean in a Sentence
See MoreFirst Known Use of clean
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adverb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun
circa 1889, in the meaning defined above
History and Etymology for clean
Adjective
Middle English clene, going back to Old English clǣne "free from impurities or dirt, unblemished," going back to West Germanic *klainja- [whence also Old Saxon klēni "slender, perceptive," Middle Dutch cleine, clēne "of superior quality, elegant, slender, small," Old High German kleini, chleine "fine, delicate, clever"], of uncertain origin
Note: On the grounds that Low German klīn and Swiss German khlii, with an ablaut grade *klīn-, require a verbal origin, a base *klein-/*klain-/klin- has been suggested, whence Old Norse klína "to smear, butter [bread]," Old High German giklenan "to stroke, smear," from Indo-European *glei̯H- "smear, make stick" [whence, also with a nasal present formation, Old Irish glenaid "[it] adheres, cleaves," Welsh glynu "to stick, adhere"; cf. clay]. This derivation would imply for the Germanic adjective an original meaning "smeared on well, carefully applied," hence "well crafted, of superior quality" > "free of impurities, fine, delicate" > "small" [see F. Heidermanns, Etymologisches Wörterbuch der germanischen Primäradjektiven, Berlin, 1993]. The earlier proposal of a connection with Indo-European *gel- "bright, shining," is improbable, as none of the descendants of Germanic *klainja- have this meaning.
Adverb
Middle English clene, going back to Old English clǣne, derivative of clǣne clean entry 1
Verb
Middle English clenen "to clear of weeds," derivative of clene clean entry 1
Noun
noun derivative of clean entry 3
Cite this Entry
Clean. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, //www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clean. Accessed 19 Nov. 2021.
: free from dirt, marks, etc. : not dirty
: free from pollution or other dangerous substances
: all the way : completely or entirely
: to make [something] clean : to remove dirt, marks, etc., from [something]
: to make [something, such as a room] neat and orderly
1 : free of dirt or pollution clean air Put on a clean shirt.
2 : not yet used Use a clean sheet of paper.
3 : not involving or showing involvement with anything wrong or illegal good, clean fun I've got a clean record.
4 : not offensive a clean joke
: to make or become free of dirt or disorder I cleaned my room. Please clean up for supper.
1a : free from dirt or pollution
b : free from disease or infectious agents a pullorum-clean flock keep installations clean of TB infection
2 : free from smudges or anything that tends to obscure a clean set of fingerprints
3 of a horse's leg : free from curbs or bunches below the hock
4 : free from drug addiction
2 : to perform dental prophylaxis on [the teeth]
: free of amendments or annotations