I. adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a clear account
▪
I’ve tried to write a clear account of the incident.
a clear conscience (= the knowledge that you have done nothing wrong )
▪
I was able to answer his questions with a clear conscience.
a clear distinction
▪
The legal system makes a clear distinction between adults and children.
a clear lead
▪
The ruling Labour Party has a clear lead in the opinion polls.
a clear mandate
▪
The vote gave the trade union a clear mandate to pursue a better settlement.
a clear memory
▪
I have a clear memory of the first time I met David.
a clear motive
▪
She had no clear motive to lie.
a clear objective
▪
A manager must give his team clear objectives to work towards.
a clear patch
▪
Clear patches of brilliant blue sky appeared briefly through the white storm clouds.
a clear policy
▪
There was no clear policy on this matter.
a clear preference
▪
There was a clear preference amongst the staff for this style of leadership.
a clear recommendation
▪
The report offered no clear recommendations or policy guidelines.
a clear statement (= giving an opinion clearly )
▪
The article was a clear statement of his beliefs.
a clear understanding
▪
Before you begin, it is vital that you have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve.
a clear violation
▪
This is a clear violation of privacy rights.
a clear voice
▪
Natalia’s clear voice rang out.
a clear/coherent strategy
▪
It is important that the company has a clear strategy.
a clear/firm decision (= a definite one )
▪
It's now time to come to a clear decision on this.
a clear/good picture
▪
He still didn’t have a clear picture of what had happened.
a clearing bank (= one of the banks in Britain that uses a clearing house when dealing with other banks )
▪
large commercial customers of the clearing banks
a clear/obvious connection
▪
There is an obvious connection between this painting and his earlier works.
a clear/obvious contrast
▪
There was a clear contrast between the father and the son.
a clear/obvious correlation
▪
There is a clear correlation between carbon dioxide emissions and global warming.
a clear/obvious/unmistakable sign
▪
There are clear signs of a slowdown in economic growth.
a clear/sharp outline
▪
Peeling off the tape after the paint has dried leaves a clear outline to the shapes.
a clear/strong signal
▪
My body was giving me a clear signal that something was wrong.
a clear/vivid impression
▪
He had the clear impression that most people were in favour of the idea.
a court clears/acquits sb (= says that they are not guilty )
▪
A US court cleared him of bribery allegations.
a real/clear need (= one that really exists )
▪
There is a real need for after-school care in our area.
all clear
▪
We’ve got the all clear for the new project.
an absolute/outright/clear majority (= a majority that has been won by more than half the votes )
▪
There was no party with an absolute majority in the House of Commons.
an infection clears up (= goes away )
▪
Although the infection cleared up, he still felt weak.
be a clear/dead giveaway (= make it very easy to guess something )
▪
He’d been smoking dope; his glazed eyes were a dead giveaway.
bright/clear/cloudless (= without clouds )
▪
The sun rose higher in the cloudless sky.
clear a forest (= cut down and remove the trees )
▪
Huge areas of forest have been cleared since 1960.
clear a hurdle (= successfully jump over a hurdle )
clear and concise
▪
Your summary should be as clear and concise as possible.
clear consensus (= one that people agree on and understand )
▪
There was no clear consensus about the future direction of the company.
clear glass (= that you can see through rather than being coloured )
▪
The drink comes in clear glass bottles.
clear proof
▪
His indecision is clear proof of his inability to handle the situation.
clear the table (= take plates etc off )
▪
Do you want me to clear the table?
clear up the confusion (= explain something more clearly )
▪
The chairman said that he would try to clear up the confusion.
clear up/correct a misunderstanding (= get rid of a misunderstanding )
▪
I want to talk to you, to try and clear up any misunderstandings.
clear your debts (= repay all of them )
▪
It took him three years to clear his bank debts.
clear your desk (= remove all the papers etc from it )
▪
It's a good idea to clear your desk regularly.
clear your name (= prove that you have not done something bad or illegal )
▪
She was determined to clear her name.
clear your vision
▪
She blinked to clear her vision.
clear
▪
I looked up to the stars in the clear night air.
clear
▪
He gave us a clear description of the situation in the city.
clear (= without any spots )
▪
Eating fresh fruit and vegetables will help keep your complexion clear.
clear
▪
The instructions that I got with the phone weren't very clear.
clear (= with no traffic or nothing blocking it )
▪
Before you overtake, make sure the road is clear.
clear...backlog
▪
It’s going to take us months to clear the backlog .
clear/clean up the mess
▪
Whoever is responsible for this mess can clear it up immediately!
cleared...the jumps
▪
Her horse cleared all the jumps in the first round.
clear/good
▪
His directions were very clear and easy to follow.
clearing bank
clearing house
clear/logical thinking
▪
Above 24,000 feet, the lack of oxygen makes clear thinking almost impossible.
clear/make a space
▪
Jack cleared a space for his newspaper on the table.
clear/perfect/good etc diction
▪
She had perfect diction.
clear/precise
▪
The head teacher gave us a precise definition of the school’s aims.
clear/strict guidelines
▪
Today most planning authorities enforce fairly strict guidelines on new houses.
clouds clear/lift (= disappear )
▪
At last the rain had stopped and the clouds had cleared.
crystal clear
▪
I want to make one thing crystal clear – I do not agree with these proposals.
give (sb)/get the all clear
▪
We’ve got the all clear for the new project.
good/clear/strong evidence
▪
There is clear evidence that smoking causes heart disease.
good/healthy/clear (= smooth and without any red spots )
▪
Vitamin E helps keep your skin healthy.
have a clear/guilty etc conscience
▪
Does he have a guilty conscience about his role in the crime?
it seems likely/unlikely/reasonable/clear (that)
▪
It seems likely that he will miss Ireland’s next match.
jump clear (of sth) (= jump out of danger )
▪
We managed to jump clear of the car before it hit the wall.
made it clear
▪
The President has made it clear that he is not going to change his mind.
made...abundantly clear
▪
She’d made her feelings towards him abundantly clear .
neat/clear
▪
Your handwriting is much neater than mine.
overcome/clear/get over etc a hurdle (= deal successfully with a problem )
painfully obvious/clear/evident/apparent
▪
It was painfully obvious he’d rather not see her again.
smoke clears (= disappears )
▪
The kitchen door was still open, and inside the smoke was clearing.
stand clear of sth British English (= step away from something in order to be safe )
▪
Stand clear of the doors, please.
the mist clears/lifts (= goes away )
▪
The mountains suddenly appeared as the mist lifted.
the sky clears (= the clouds disappear )
▪
By dawn the sky had cleared.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
absolutely
▪
The precise relationship between these two meanings of unreasonable is not absolutely clear .
▪
This statement should be absolutely clear in the minds of everyone concerned.
▪
This makes it absolutely clear that the early road and the drains belong in a mid to late second-century context.
▪
Our own door gunners were not allowed to fire unless they saw an absolutely clear target.
▪
What is absolutely clear is that the three prisoners have themselves vehemently protested their innocence from day one.
▪
Her hair is pure white, her face covered with spidery lines, but her eyes are absolutely clear , sparkling.
▪
Mr. Allan Stewart I can make the position absolutely clear .
▪
It was absolutely clear to me he was in no danger.
abundantly
▪
If modern psychology has done one thing, it has surely made this fact abundantly clear .
▪
One other point about the two union leaders was abundantly clear .
▪
It makes it abundantly clear that even the possession and academic presentation of information necessary for an ethnography could be actionable.
▪
This is made abundantly clear at our first impromptu committee meeting in the bar of the Gardener's Arms.
▪
To would-be revolutionaries it was becoming abundantly clear that their central problem was lack of contact with the masses.
▪
But that act has more to do with the future than the present, as chapter 23 will make abundantly clear .
▪
He didn't believe her, as he made abundantly clear by looking contemptuously down his straight nose at her.
less
▪
A comparison of new season whole hops to hop oils, is, however, less clear cut.
▪
Subsequent studies have come to less clear conclusions, and a few scientists believe that the monkey results are explained by chance.
▪
What is less clear is whether they were cut in Kent or imported ready cut.
▪
The letter to Mr. Purkayastha is less clear .
▪
The pattern is less clear and less consistent for Latino students.
▪
The law regarding mandamus was less clear .
▪
In the textile districts the position was less clear .
quite
▪
Sebastian was not quite clear about his own job intentions at this stage, nor did he have to be so.
▪
It was by this time not quite clear exactly which lands in the Company's possession related to the original bequest.
▪
Fortunately the situation is quite clear .
▪
It's quite clear that the influence of soul music in pop has become poisonous, repressive, grey and total.
▪
Our constitutional rules and regulations are quite clear and not to be infringed.
▪
It's quite clear which is which in Burke's Peerage.
▪
This becomes quite clear in some of the significant details of Schleiermacher's account.
▪
The company makes it quite clear that giving younger people career opportunities may mean moving older employees down the status ladder.
so
▪
As you near the village of Kentmere the beauty of the Lake District becomes so clear .
▪
Just where all these so-called residential geese came from is not so clear .
▪
I almost turned round, so clear was the tone, so near.
▪
But in some states, the law is not so clear .
▪
But though the mind pictures were so clear , there was nothing more.
▪
What actually disturbed him is not so clear .
▪
Finally, the case being so clear , a recommendation was made to proceed immediately with Stevenage.
▪
It requires that we critically examine a beliefs rooted in our understanding of Scripture that previously seemed so clear .
very
▪
He made it very clear he would like to kill police officers.
▪
His style of conducting is very clear , yet also spontaneous.
▪
It was a very clear day and we could see a long way.
▪
I did want to be very clear and a lot more focused in what I was saying.
▪
After the 1987 election Mrs Thatcher can claim to have a very clear mandate.
▪
Industrial ReD in the public sector is a relatively new phenomenon and the expectations from it are not very clear .
▪
But now the truth was very clear .
▪
But also, jobs is very clear about the future state.
■ NOUN
case
▪
At the very least a clear case is owed a clear explanation if it is rejected.
▪
Firestone's view of gender relations as determined by reproduction is the clearest case .
▪
It was a clear case of personal patronage, but he was to remain executive head for thirty-three years.
▪
And a clear case of life imitating astrology.
▪
The only clear case where this strategy succeeded was when Thatcher introduced the SinnFéin broadcasting ban.
▪
Nevertheless there is a clear case for its practice in public libraries, and even in university provision for undergraduates.
▪
The record of Ricci's behaviour is, to our knowledge, the first clear case of teaching in any non-human animal.
conscience
▪
Now they could dance with a clear conscience .
▪
He feigned a teasing laugh, a clear conscience .
▪
And who has a clear conscience ?
▪
Sophie and the child will be taken care of, and because of that I can live with a clear conscience .
▪
Maybe not even cynical, maybe just female practicality which can stoop with clearest conscience below the level of the lowest stratagem.
▪
But at any rate I can finally dust my hands and put my jacket on with a clear conscience .
▪
Lawn owners have good reason for keeping clear consciences and generally living each day as through it were their last.
▪
I am convinced that only my genuinely clear conscience let me convince the adults around me that I was totally innocent.
distinction
▪
For women, the social customs do not seem to permit such a clear distinction between work and leisure.
▪
For there is a clear distinction between tolerating dissent and propagating it.
▪
It asserts that there is a clear distinction between the two kinds of statement and that there is no third kind.
▪
In other words, there is a clear distinction between application logic and the computer representation of that logic.
▪
There is now a clear distinction between two strands of modern elite theory.
▪
The clear distinction between the old and modern lacquers also offers hope of a means of identifying fakes.
▪
Is there in fact such a clear distinction to be maintained between civil association or societas and enterprise association or universitas?
▪
There appears to be a clear distinction between the causes of uplift on the western and eastern sides of the central Andes.
evidence
▪
There is no clear evidence that the Wilson-Mitchell partnership survived for long.
▪
By this he gives clear evidence of his innate greatness of soul.
▪
The clearest evidence for this is the dearth of people keen to work with frail older people.
▪
There is clear evidence of how much people on the estate need their buses.
▪
There is no clear evidence of strong prejudice among young-old people against their elders in Britain.
▪
The low circulation and poor distribution of leading literary journals provide clear evidence of the élitist character of the cultured few.
▪
There is clear evidence of localization of function in the cortex.
▪
There is no clear evidence that women receive massively more favourable treatment from the police or the courts.
example
▪
Rothenbuhler's experiments on the hygienic behaviour of bees provides a very clear example of the genetic control of behaviour.
▪
Section 16 is a clear example and functions almost as an exclamation point to the first 15 sections.
▪
Two of the clearest examples are to be seen in the courses followed by Gerry Healy and Michel Pablo and their followers.
▪
This seems a clear example of his allegiance to popular dissent against the Church and social elite who supported the Restoration.
▪
Here is a clear example of a rare rock type that has been strongly concentrated by lunar geological activity.
▪
A clear example of a mutation altering development is the inherited genetic defect, sickle cell anaemia.
▪
The clearest example of an incompetent teacher is one who lacks knowledge about the subject he or she is supposed to teach.
idea
▪
She had no clear idea of what a mortgage was.
▪
Only the proprietor of the six left in the room had a clear idea of what the concept meant.
▪
Gates had always had a clear idea of what he wanted to be: the prime software supplier to the world.
▪
Yet very few businesses have any clear idea of what crime is actually costing them.
▪
I mean have you got a clear idea of the relationship between the so-called Author and his character.
▪
I have very clear ideas about dressing gowns.
▪
Sutcliffe's data show that these speakers have a very clear idea of what, for them, constitutes a basilectal utterance.
indication
▪
There had to be very clear indications of joint working.
▪
Perhaps the clearest indication of this was the difficulty he encountered in filling the job of finance minister in his new cabinet.
▪
This is an extensive site with clear indications of buildings and levelled platforms.
▪
The failure to win additional numbers for the expansion we have achieved is a clear indication of that movement.
▪
Resentment of this magnitude was a clear indication of the failure of the avowed policy of pacification and Romanization.
▪
Some of the clearest indications of Anderson's vagueness occur at the level of topic-control.
▪
This is a clear indication of a central principle of planning for Cramlington.
▪
Perhaps the clearest indication of the quality of the One Key series is given by the documentation.
majority
▪
As was noted earlier, elections in Northern Ireland itself have always produced clear majorities in favour of Unionist government.
▪
A clear majority of the nine students wore Nikes.
▪
For all that, observers are unanimous that Swapo will emerge with a clear majority .
▪
It will be a clear majority when the century turns.
▪
Join Congress, Mr Gandhi seemed to be saying, and create a party strong enough to have a clear majority .
▪
For the first time in decades, the 500-seat Chamber is without a clear majority .
▪
The Opposition has agreed to abstain, which means the Government will win a clear majority .
▪
In each case a clear majority of Republican voters rejected him.
objective
▪
For a politician to have a clear objective is to offer hostages to his opponents.
▪
The teams are performing as self managed units although the manager will agree clear objectives with the team.
▪
Teachers and students will appreciate the clear objectives and simple layout.
▪
A clear objective was set and adhered to: recapture the islands.
▪
The right of employers and employees to be aware of clear objectives and detailed targets for training performance.
▪
Indeed, the concept of success could scarcely apply since it worked to no clear objectives .
▪
If purposeful, goal-directed activity is to take place, clear objectives need to be set for all the organisation's activities.
▪
Finally, the purpose of this section has been to help teachers write clear objectives .
picture
▪
When these figures are carefully decoded, a remarkably clear picture of the whole military organization emerges.
▪
Attempts to gain a clearer picture of this boundary layer floundered for several decades.
▪
A team at University College, London, produced the first clear pictures of interiors, using microchips as the specimens.
▪
The spate of incidents may provide a clearer picture of changes that might be needed in those regulations.
▪
Our purpose is to establish a clear picture of events that took place during the mission to Rakhat.
▪
At last, a clear picture of music lovers and lovers.
▪
Some achievements Against this background, the evaluators found it difficult to establish a clear picture of exactly what the panel achieved.
▪
I need you to paint me a clear picture of the changes you expect to see three months down the road.
sign
▪
The smaller bones from the feet showed no clear signs of alteration.
▪
And why do chronic drinkers seem to show clear signs of cognitive dysfunction?
▪
It had recently withdrawn the ice-breaker Endurance, generally taken as a clear sign of retreat.
▪
Despite clear signs of weakness in his support, Sen.
▪
They talked to each other again, and then the first horse made clear signs for me to follow him.
▪
During Period 4, the infant shows clear signs of event anticipation.
▪
Heseltine watchers could have wished for no clearer sign of his leadership intentions.
▪
There are clear signs that the process is already well advanced.
signal
▪
However, they still had no luck as, here again, there was no clear signal .
▪
But his arrest is not a clear signal that the opposite is true.
▪
And the Bush administration is sending clear signals that it would welcome such a deal.
▪
The peer group gives out clear signals to its members both about style and about fundamental values and perspectives.
▪
The above discussion suggests that, when needed, clear signals of information status can be employed in written language.
sky
▪
She looked up at the clear sky .
▪
The days were hot, filled with relentless sunshine and clear skies .
▪
Endlessly clear skies and lowering water tables.
▪
At a great distance, the ghostly frost of a snow peak seemed suspended from the clear sky .
▪
They had been so lucky with the weather; a clear sky , and a soft breeze that kept everyone comfortable.
▪
A flat-calm water, clear sky and a bright quarter moon are not the sort of conditions we associate with good catches.
▪
Away from the haze and lights of the city, bright stars fill the spectacularly clear sky .
understanding
▪
Is there a clear understanding of joint and individual areas of responsibility of headteacher and governors?
▪
This requires a clear understanding of the cellular and biochemical process of wound healing and the mechanisms of individual types of injury.
▪
Equally, it is important that a searcher should have a clear understanding of indexing methods.
▪
A clear understanding of the task by the partner and/or manager is a prerequisite for good communication.
▪
Vital to such decisions is a clear understanding of system functions, failure modes and the consequences of failure.
▪
Meanwhile parents like Gwen Watkins just want their voice to be heard and a clearer understanding of a tragic chain of deaths.
▪
They can give the same information as the text, giving the reader two opportunities of gaining clear understanding .
▪
Practitioners need a clear understanding of the processes by which social inequalities of various forms are derived from prejudicial and stereotypical attitudes.
view
▪
But I had a clear view of the table last night, and it wasn't there.
▪
Cameras offer no clear view of what is going on in the background.
▪
He moved slowly and cautiously, and kept his hands in clear view .
▪
Federal guidelines require that tower personnel clearing aircraft for arrivals and departures have clear views of runways below them.
▪
By the time the enquiry and analysis stage is concluded, relatively clear views are formed as to where best practice exists.
▪
For it to work, the unit needs a clear view of the sky.
▪
Gain attention first, make sure there is a clear view of your face.
▪
Primo briefly has a clear view of the menu, written on paper plates taped to the quilted-tin wall.
vision
▪
Namely, clear vision for the driver, whatever the conditions.
▪
But the history of New York development shows how haphazard such controls can be if there is no such clear vision .
▪
That view may be interpreted as a piece of self-delusion, or as a clear vision .
▪
They are able to do this be-cause they start out with a clear vision of where they want to go.
▪
My brain is filled full of vague images, but no clear vision of one necessary thing.
▪
The ring is virtually invisible around the central cornea which is the critical area for clear vision .
▪
Put simply, polarisation works like a venetian blind to cut reflection from above and below yet still allow clear vision .
▪
We have to keep dragging ourselves to our feet to peek out again and again, until we have a clear vision .
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
abundantly clear
▪
It's abundantly clear why he's running for governor.
▪
But that act has more to do with the future than the present, as chapter 23 will make abundantly clear.
▪
But then if you look at politicians today, the answer becomes abundantly clear.
▪
He didn't believe her, as he made abundantly clear by looking contemptuously down his straight nose at her.
▪
If modern psychology has done one thing, it has surely made this fact abundantly clear.
▪
That was made abundantly clear at a colourful congress in the provincial capital, Jayapura, last month.
▪
This was abundantly clear in the textile district of the West Riding.
▪
To would-be revolutionaries it was becoming abundantly clear that their central problem was lack of contact with the masses.
as important/clear/big etc as anything
▪
Ecumenically it is as important as anything .
blow/clear the cobwebs away
▪
It will blow the cobwebs away.
▪
Talk about blowing the cobwebs away!
clear your throat
▪
Fenn cleared his throat , wishing his head could be cleared as easily.
▪
He cleared his throat and laid his finger along his nose.
▪
He coughed and cleared his throat again and looked up at the clerk.
▪
Hearst interjected, clearing his throat loudly.
▪
She cleared her throat , and looked at the Lakshmi again.
▪
She taps on the desk with an inverted pencil and clears her throat .
▪
Then Bette flounced up and cleared her throat nervously.
▪
Threlfall cleared his throat loudly before turning.
clear/pave/open/prepare etc the way (for sth)
▪
Earlier legislation paved the way by limiting the use of custody as a penalty for offenders under the age of twenty-one.
▪
He believes the Government has missed the opportunity to pave the way for badly needed investment.
▪
He gave as an example some of the early work in genetics which has paved the way for biotechnological developments.
▪
She would pave the way for a much more slender ideal: the flapper.
▪
Such developments are paving the way to rapprochement between conventional and complementary medicine.
▪
Was he paving the way for another referendum?
▪
When Ken wants to give his girlfriend a kiss he first calls in a construction team to clear the way .
leave the field clear for sb
loud and clear
▪
The play's message is loud and clear.
▪
And unlike the Democrats' proposals, its message rang home loud and clear with the likes of Jigeehuu and Gankhuag.
▪
But the message is loud and clear.
▪
Converse glanced at the bearded man and the thrill of recognition rang loud and clear.
▪
I did, loud and clear.
▪
I say, and I say it loud and clear.
▪
The voices of the cruel are loud and clear.
▪
Through the crack under the door I could smell Shelly loud and clear.
see your way (clear) to doing sth
▪
Finally he could see his way clear to his goal.
▪
Small builders can not see their way to take on many trainees.
▪
There was just enough light for her to see her way to the bathroom.
steer clear (of sb/sth)
▪
British politicians tend to steer clear of religious topics.
▪
George Deukejian urged the candidate to steer clear of the issue, which he considers divisive.
▪
Hongkong Bank steered clear of the mania to lend to third-world countries that peaked in the early 1980s.
▪
I think readers should be warned to steer clear of these fish in the future.
▪
Investors steered clear of big-name high techs in favor of shares like karaoke equipment trader Nikkodo.
▪
Most of the multinationals have steered clear of commitments so far.
▪
Others steered clear of temptation, like singer Errol Brown from Hot Chocolate.
▪
Pittman advises steering clear of any influence that puts our own happiness first.
▪
She must steer clear of Matthew and then perhaps this ridiculous infatuation would wear off.
the all clear
the coast is clear
▪
We raced out the door as soon as the coast was clear.
▪
Or do you wait till they tire of the taunting and go to release the victim when the coast is clear?
when the smoke clears
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪
clear signs of an economic recovery
▪
a clear mountain lake
▪
a beautiful clear day
▪
Children need clear rules about what is allowed and what isn't
▪
Even after two thousand years the writing is quite clear .
▪
Gun control laws are favored by a clear majority of Americans.
▪
He had left clear footprints in the wet sand.
▪
High-definition television is amazing. The picture is so clear .
▪
I'll give you until Monday to turn in your essay. Is that clear ?
▪
I only realised later that the clear liquid in the glass must have been vodka.
▪
It became clear after talking to him that Andrew wasn't going to cooperate.
▪
It may be clear to you, but I haven't got a clue what it means.
▪
It soon became clear that there were not enough police officers to deal with the situation.
▪
It was clear that Lesley was very upset by what had happened.
▪
It was clear to me that my father was dying.
▪
Let me get this clear - you weren't even there at the time?
▪
Most of the 'help' messages you get on computers aren't at all clear to ordinary home users.
▪
Most of the photographs were sharp and clear .
▪
On a clear day, you can see Mount Fuji from Tokyo.
▪
Perhaps I didn't make myself clear - there won't be a penny of extra money for this project.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪
A preference for country living is clear , and in some remoter rural districts there was even a significant growth in population.
▪
Let me be clear about the reason.
▪
Probably the clearest statements on book selection are by Lester Asheim in a defence of book selection against the charge of censorship.
▪
The prospective meaning of to is thus perfectly clear in this use.
▪
The sounds were too indistinct for him to hear the words, but the tone was clear enough.
▪
This makes the impossibility of sustaining an objective, scientific programme particularly clear in psychology.
▪
What actually disturbed him is not so clear .
▪
What is clear is that the most successful computerised personnel systems link payroll and personnel together.
II. verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ NOUN
air
▪
An ant coming under the influence leaps clear into the air .
▪
Secondly, until you clear the air with this person, you will continue to feel uncomfortable.
▪
But he thinks, in present circumstances, that a straight forward test provides the best way of clearing the air .
▪
This proclamation was like the first peal of a surcharged thunder-cloud, clearing the murky air .
▪
Offer to talk then and there to clear the air .
▪
Allen, to clear the air , decided to host a debate for three thousand people at Bethel.
▪
He even met with the Anti-Defamation League to try and clear the air of misunderstandings.
backlog
▪
The workers merely wish to clear a backlog of clients before the afternoon session begins.
▪
He said the airline was now working to clear the backlog , with the delayed flights expected to depart within 24 hours.
▪
Extra staff brought in to clear the backlog should be kept on until a thorough review is made.
▪
The hospital is asking for more money to clear the backlog .
▪
She continued to go to the shop and had managed to clear the backlog of work and correspondence.
▪
Norwich agreed to take on an extra twelve staff and to clear the backlog of applications.
▪
First, reports reaching me indicate that many of those LEAs that were not coping have now cleared their backlogs .
charge
▪
Painter cleared of bar assault charge A SELF-employed painter and decorator was yesterday cleared of assaulting the manager of a Harrogate bar.
▪
Eventually, he was cleared of the charge when she admitted to lying.
▪
The jury cleared him of the charges of criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and operating a vessel while intoxicated.
▪
A Braintree man was cleared of an affray charge yesterday when the prosecution offered no further evidence against him.
▪
The very anonymity of everybody else in their entourage was part of making clear who was in charge .
▪
Veron was cleared of a charge that could have led to a two-year ban.
▪
A Teesside Crown Court jury cleared him of both charges but convicted him of arson last month.
debt
▪
A cheque completely clearing the debt has been sent to Donovan's lawyers.
▪
His argument is that once we have cleared the debt we could buy a car with another loan.
▪
Borrowers were told that policies might not only clear their mortgage debt but might also give them an additional lump sum.
▪
As fast as it came in, it went out to clear his debt .
▪
With a personal loan you have to stick to a fixed schedule of repayments to clear the debt within a fixed period.
▪
If she won, her broker was to receive three times her normal fee, enough to clear her debt .
▪
So they did the switch, cleared their debts , and now £6 a month better off.
▪
Should you hang on to your cash or clear your debts ?
deck
▪
Hankin cleared the decks when in temporary charge and team-strengthening is essential.
▪
I suppose it clears the deck of suspects.
▪
Still, it was time to clear the decks , time to get things sorted.
▪
And Lawrence wasted no time responding to that challenge and clearing the decks at Ayresome Park.
head
▪
If not, the cold would clear his head .
▪
He wants a few days to clear his head .
▪
She needed the hot draught of caffeine to clear her head .
▪
Gao Yang recalled that the wall barely cleared his head at the time.
▪
The chill in the air began to clear her head .
▪
I cleared my head this morning and have changed my mind.
▪
It had very little warmth but the chilly air was helping to clear my head .
▪
Then he got into his white Olds and drove off to clear his head .
hurdle
▪
David, Grant and Stuart are due to complete their studies towards the end of 1995 but have already cleared the first hurdle .
▪
But first, the idea must clear several hurdles in early 1996.
▪
To clear this last hurdle I was forced to queue up outside a shed with a number of soldiers.
▪
I., has declined, insisting that the $ 5. 2 billion merger would never clear government antitrust hurdles .
▪
The transaction also must clear certain regulatory hurdles .
mess
▪
We need an election and a Labour Government to clear up the mess .
▪
Regulators are busily clearing up the mess .
▪
In alcoholism: Not clearing up physical messes caused by the primary sufferer.
▪
This keeps him happy until it is time to go to the nursery by which time she has cleared up the mess .
▪
Pondering these matters, she went through to the front room to clear up the mess .
▪
It would have been like Donleavy to try to clear up the Asmar mess himself.
▪
A J-C-B digger was brought in, but it still took more than three hours to clear up the mess .
▪
Why hadn't Corbett cleared this mess up?
mind
▪
Getting it clear in his mind .
▪
His meeting with the Holtzes seemed to have refreshed Alvin and cleared his mind .
▪
He leaned against the wall desperately trying to clear his mind but the memory proved elusive.
▪
So, clear your mind , get out your No. 2 pencils and do your best: 1.
▪
First, you should get it clear in your mind just what the private-eye who is the central figure is.
▪
The coffee and the cool air cleared my mind .
▪
DeVore nodded to himself, then cleared his mind of it, coming to the final matter.
▪
Perhaps more than most literary encounters, it is essential to approach this novel with a cleared mind .
name
▪
Mr Donovan's motive had been to clear his name , not to close the magazine.
▪
The Joint Committee investigating the scandal cleared my name .
▪
For Kirsty's sake, she had to clear her name .
▪
No defendant could completely clear his or her name .
▪
After twenty years of gossip and innuendo was this going to be the one chance to clear his father's name ?
▪
The suspects say they are not guilty but want to clear their names .
▪
When the public prosecutor appealed against that ruling, Pasko lodged a complaint in an attempt to clear his name .
▪
Also this week: Samantha suggests to Siobhan that exhuming Josh's body could clear her name .
space
▪
Involuntarily she found herself going out on to the balcony for air, rather than clearing a space to sit.
▪
They used to clear out space next to the M System store and people would come from all around.
▪
Nanny Ogg had already cleared a space on the table for the green ball.
▪
He eats most of his meals in the room, clearing a space on the desk, reading as he eats.
▪
The first thing Louis did when he reached Aachen was to clear himself some political space .
▪
When he returned she had cleared a space in the kitchen, had coffee ready.
▪
Newsagents across the country had cleared extra floor space for the 60,000 additional copies of the paper.
▪
Megaliths were smashed to make gate-posts or road-stone, blown up or pushed aside to clear space for the plough.
table
▪
The bloke with the paper hat comes round with this trolley thing to clear the tables .
▪
She shook her head, cleared the table , dropping off stuff behind the counter, talking some to her father.
▪
At that very moment, a waiter turned abruptly from clearing the next table and crashed into Loretta.
▪
He was happy to clear the table but insisted on talking nonstop as he worked.
▪
He turned to help her clear the table .
▪
The preacher pushed his plate away and Lottie rose to clear the table .
▪
Well, he seemed to have cheered up, thought Ruth, clearing the table .
▪
Now she moved from booth to booth, clearing each table .
throat
▪
He cleared his throat and turned away delicately to allow her to use the hanky.
▪
They found she could clear her throat and cough in the machine, which had been difficult outside.
▪
Fenn cleared his throat , wishing his head could be cleared as easily.
▪
His mustache twitched; he cleared his throat , but said nothing.
▪
Feeling a little embarrassed, he quickly cleared his throat and glanced up at the clock.
▪
He recited a list of biblical names at high speed into the machine, expecting it to stumble and clear its throat .
▪
Glover cleared his throat and looked off over the lake.
way
▪
The visit cleared the way for a summit meeting between the Communist Party leaders of the two countries.
▪
Inmates were paid 50 cents a day for the back-breaking chore of clearing right of way through dense forests and laying track.
▪
This is the scepticism that rules scepticism itself out of court and clears the way for legitimate faith.
▪
The motorbikes clear a way but fans still jump into the road, running behind their favourites and pushing them.
▪
Losses from restructuring will decline from now on, clearing the way for a recovery in earnings.
■ VERB
begin
▪
The chill in the air began to clear her head.
▪
Then finally her head began to clear .
▪
Then, ten minutes from Tipasa, the clouds are rinsed blue and the sky begins to clear .
▪
But at least you will begin to clear up the pension problem.
▪
Her head gradually began to clear .
▪
When the girls left, Sethe began to clear the table.
▪
He immediately withdrew the patrol to a safe distance and together they began to clear the area for any other suspicious signs.
▪
The rain stops and the grey skies begin to clear .
help
▪
We help clear the innocent too.
▪
Athena told him how things were in his house and promised she would help him clear it of the suitors.
▪
Necessary jobs are helping to clear up the smaller branches and making a start on repointing the bridge itself.
▪
Sometimes this means police officers help neighborhood members clear out vacant lots and rusting cars.
▪
It helps keep your skin clear .
▪
He turned to help her clear the table.
▪
It had very little warmth but the chilly air was helping to clear my head.
▪
It might help to clear Barney.
try
▪
New recruit, David Byrne, sliced in the ball as he tried to clear .
▪
Loi promised to keep warm, and Joe started him on a course of antibiotics to try to clear the lung infection.
▪
Connelly blinked myopically, trying to clear his gaze, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.
▪
She lunges forward, trying to clear a way for herself.
▪
Above all try and make it clear that you are enthusiastic about the future project.
▪
He even met with the Anti-Defamation League to try and clear the air of misunderstandings.
▪
She tried to clear her head, concentrating on this new situation.
▪
He tried to clear the phantoms from his head and grasp reality.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
abundantly clear
▪
It's abundantly clear why he's running for governor.
▪
But that act has more to do with the future than the present, as chapter 23 will make abundantly clear.
▪
But then if you look at politicians today, the answer becomes abundantly clear.
▪
He didn't believe her, as he made abundantly clear by looking contemptuously down his straight nose at her.
▪
If modern psychology has done one thing, it has surely made this fact abundantly clear.
▪
That was made abundantly clear at a colourful congress in the provincial capital, Jayapura, last month.
▪
This was abundantly clear in the textile district of the West Riding.
▪
To would-be revolutionaries it was becoming abundantly clear that their central problem was lack of contact with the masses.
as important/clear/big etc as anything
▪
Ecumenically it is as important as anything .
blow/clear the cobwebs away
▪
It will blow the cobwebs away.
▪
Talk about blowing the cobwebs away!
clear your throat
▪
Fenn cleared his throat , wishing his head could be cleared as easily.
▪
He cleared his throat and laid his finger along his nose.
▪
He coughed and cleared his throat again and looked up at the clerk.
▪
Hearst interjected, clearing his throat loudly.
▪
She cleared her throat , and looked at the Lakshmi again.
▪
She taps on the desk with an inverted pencil and clears her throat .
▪
Then Bette flounced up and cleared her throat nervously.
▪
Threlfall cleared his throat loudly before turning.
clear/pave/open/prepare etc the way (for sth)
▪
Earlier legislation paved the way by limiting the use of custody as a penalty for offenders under the age of twenty-one.
▪
He believes the Government has missed the opportunity to pave the way for badly needed investment.
▪
He gave as an example some of the early work in genetics which has paved the way for biotechnological developments.
▪
She would pave the way for a much more slender ideal: the flapper.
▪
Such developments are paving the way to rapprochement between conventional and complementary medicine.
▪
Was he paving the way for another referendum?
▪
When Ken wants to give his girlfriend a kiss he first calls in a construction team to clear the way .
leave the field clear for sb
loud and clear
▪
The play's message is loud and clear.
▪
And unlike the Democrats' proposals, its message rang home loud and clear with the likes of Jigeehuu and Gankhuag.
▪
But the message is loud and clear.
▪
Converse glanced at the bearded man and the thrill of recognition rang loud and clear.
▪
I did, loud and clear.
▪
I say, and I say it loud and clear.
▪
The voices of the cruel are loud and clear.
▪
Through the crack under the door I could smell Shelly loud and clear.
the all clear
the coast is clear
▪
We raced out the door as soon as the coast was clear.
▪
Or do you wait till they tire of the taunting and go to release the victim when the coast is clear?
when the smoke clears
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪
A good lawyer can clear $250,000 a year easily.
▪
A jury cleared the company of all criminal charges in connection with the accident.
▪
After Pagones was cleared in court, he sued his accusers.
▪
Delta 7, you are cleared for takeoff.
▪
He cleared the first two obstacles, but hit the top of the third.
▪
Marshall was given his job back after being cleared of accusations that he abused drugs.
▪
Police cleared the building and carried out a controlled explosion.
▪
Sandra cleared £50,000 last year.
▪
The area around the palace had been cleared for the parade.
▪
The fog usually clears around noon.
▪
The report was cleared by the State Department.
▪
There was a sprinkling of applause as the horses cleared the last fence.
▪
This cheque should clear my overdraft.
▪
We're hoping that we can clear all our debts by the end of the year.
▪
Wiley's business clears $300,000 a year.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪
A pin was inserted to stabilize the ligament, and scar tissue from the previous injury had to be cleared.
▪
Jurors took less than a half-hour Thursday to clear professional football star Warren Moon of assaulting his wife.
▪
So she was asked to undertake an elimination diet, which cleared these symptoms within a week.
▪
The weather cleared too, and they were rowed diagonally south-west across the Sound of Sleat.
III. adverb
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪
Firefighters pulled the woman clear of the wreckage.
▪
I could clearly see a row of cottages at the top of the hill
▪
Procedures for making insurance claims need to be more clearly defined.
▪
The contract says quite clearly that the landlord must pay for all repairs to the house.
IV. noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADJECTIVE
crystal
▪
This becomes crystal clear when Tuesday's election results are read alongside results of February's special election.
▪
Two points became crystal clear during the 1985-86 events.
▪
The polls are crystal clear on this point: Most women vote Democratic.
▪
The night air was crystal clear and chilly.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
abundantly clear
▪
It's abundantly clear why he's running for governor.
▪
But that act has more to do with the future than the present, as chapter 23 will make abundantly clear.
▪
But then if you look at politicians today, the answer becomes abundantly clear.
▪
He didn't believe her, as he made abundantly clear by looking contemptuously down his straight nose at her.
▪
If modern psychology has done one thing, it has surely made this fact abundantly clear.
▪
That was made abundantly clear at a colourful congress in the provincial capital, Jayapura, last month.
▪
This was abundantly clear in the textile district of the West Riding.
▪
To would-be revolutionaries it was becoming abundantly clear that their central problem was lack of contact with the masses.
as important/clear/big etc as anything
▪
Ecumenically it is as important as anything .
clear your throat
▪
Fenn cleared his throat , wishing his head could be cleared as easily.
▪
He cleared his throat and laid his finger along his nose.
▪
He coughed and cleared his throat again and looked up at the clerk.
▪
Hearst interjected, clearing his throat loudly.
▪
She cleared her throat , and looked at the Lakshmi again.
▪
She taps on the desk with an inverted pencil and clears her throat .
▪
Then Bette flounced up and cleared her throat nervously.
▪
Threlfall cleared his throat loudly before turning.
clear/pave/open/prepare etc the way (for sth)
▪
Earlier legislation paved the way by limiting the use of custody as a penalty for offenders under the age of twenty-one.
▪
He believes the Government has missed the opportunity to pave the way for badly needed investment.
▪
He gave as an example some of the early work in genetics which has paved the way for biotechnological developments.
▪
She would pave the way for a much more slender ideal: the flapper.
▪
Such developments are paving the way to rapprochement between conventional and complementary medicine.
▪
Was he paving the way for another referendum?
▪
When Ken wants to give his girlfriend a kiss he first calls in a construction team to clear the way .
leave the field clear for sb
loud and clear
▪
The play's message is loud and clear.
▪
And unlike the Democrats' proposals, its message rang home loud and clear with the likes of Jigeehuu and Gankhuag.
▪
But the message is loud and clear.
▪
Converse glanced at the bearded man and the thrill of recognition rang loud and clear.
▪
I did, loud and clear.
▪
I say, and I say it loud and clear.
▪
The voices of the cruel are loud and clear.
▪
Through the crack under the door I could smell Shelly loud and clear.
see your way (clear) to doing sth
▪
Finally he could see his way clear to his goal.
▪
Small builders can not see their way to take on many trainees.
▪
There was just enough light for her to see her way to the bathroom.
steer clear (of sb/sth)
▪
British politicians tend to steer clear of religious topics.
▪
George Deukejian urged the candidate to steer clear of the issue, which he considers divisive.
▪
Hongkong Bank steered clear of the mania to lend to third-world countries that peaked in the early 1980s.
▪
I think readers should be warned to steer clear of these fish in the future.
▪
Investors steered clear of big-name high techs in favor of shares like karaoke equipment trader Nikkodo.
▪
Most of the multinationals have steered clear of commitments so far.
▪
Others steered clear of temptation, like singer Errol Brown from Hot Chocolate.
▪
Pittman advises steering clear of any influence that puts our own happiness first.
▪
She must steer clear of Matthew and then perhaps this ridiculous infatuation would wear off.
the all clear
the coast is clear
▪
We raced out the door as soon as the coast was clear.
▪
Or do you wait till they tire of the taunting and go to release the victim when the coast is clear?
when the smoke clears