■ adjective
1》 easy to perceive or understand.
↘leaving or feeling no doubt: it was ~ that they were in a trap.
2》 transparent; unclouded.
↘free of mist; having good visibility.
↘(of a person's skin) free from blemishes.
↘(of a colour) pure and intense.
3》 free of any obstructions or unwanted objects: a ~ view in both directions.
↘(of a period of time) free of any commitments.
4》 free from disease, contamination, or guilt.
5》 ( ~ of ) not touching; away from.
6》 complete: seven ~ days' notice.
↘(of a sum of money) net.
■ adverb
1》 so as to be out of the way of, away from, or uncluttered by.
2》 with clarity.
■ verb
1》 make or become ~.
↘cause people to leave (a building or place).
↘ chiefly Soccer send (the ball) away from the area near one's goal.
↘discharge (a debt).
2》 get past or over (something) safely or without touching it: the plane rose high enough to ~ the trees.
3》 show or declare officially to be innocent.
4》 give official approval or authorization to or for.
↘satisfy the necessary requirements to pass through (customs).
↘(with reference to a cheque) pass through a ~ing house so that the money goes into the payee's account.
5》 earn or gain (an amount of money) as a net profit.
6》 (of a person's face or expression) assume a happier or less confused aspect.
Phrases
~ the air
1》 make the air less humid.
2》 defuse a tense situation by frank discussion.
~ the decks prepare for something by dealing beforehand with anything that might hinder progress.
~ one's lines chiefly Rugby make a kick sending the ball well upfield from near one's own goal line.
in ~ not in code.
in the ~ no longer in danger or under suspicion.
out of a ~ sky as a complete surprise.
Phrasal verbs
~ away remove the remains of a meal from the table.
~ off informal go away.
~ out informal leave quickly.
~ something out empty something.
~ up
1》 (of a medical condition) become cured.
2》 (of the weather) become brighter; stop raining.
~ something up
1》 (also ~ up ) tidy something up by removing unwanted items.
2》 solve or explain something.
3》 cure a medical condition.
Derivatives
~able adjective
~ness noun
Origin
ME: from OFr. cler , from L. clarus .