I. ˈklēn adjective
Etymology: Middle English clene, from Old English clǣne; akin to Old High German kleini delicate, dainty
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : free from dirt or pollution
changed to clean clothes
clean solar energy
b. : free from contamination or disease
a clean wound
c. : free or relatively free from radioactivity
a clean atomic explosion
2.
a. : unadulterated , pure
the clean thrill of one's first flight
b. of a precious stone : having no interior flaws visible
c. : free from growth that hinders tillage
clean farmland
3.
a. : 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
c. : observing the rules : fair
a clean fight
4. : ceremonially or spiritually pure
and all who are clean may eat flesh — Leviticus 7:19 (Revised Standard Version)
5.
a. : thorough , complete
a clean break with the past
b. : deftly executed : skillful
clean ballet technique
c. : hit beyond the reach of an opponent
a clean single to center
6.
a. : relatively free from error or blemish : clear ; specifically : legible
clean copy
b. : unencumbered
clean bill of sale
7.
a. : characterized by clarity and precision : trim
a clean prose style
architecture with clean almost austere lines
b. : even , smooth
a clean edge
a sharp blow causing a clean break
c. : free from impedances to smooth flow (as of water or air)
a clean airplane
a ship with a clean bottom
8.
a. : empty
the ship returned with a clean hold
b. : free from drug addiction
has been clean for six months
c. slang : having no contraband (as weapons or drugs) in one's possession
9. : habitually neat
• clean·ness ˈklēn-nəs noun
II. adverb
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : so as to clean
a new broom sweeps clean
b. : in a clean manner
play the game clean
2. : all the way : completely
the bullet went clean through his arm
III. verb
Date: 15th century
transitive verb
1.
a. : to make clean: as
(1) : to rid of dirt, impurities, or extraneous matter
(2) : to rid of corruption
vowing to clean up city hall
b. : remove , eradicate — usually used with up or off
clean up that mess
2.
a. : strip , empty
a tree clean ed of fruit
b. : to remove the entrails from
clean fish
c. : to deprive of money or possessions — often used with out
they clean ed him out completely
intransitive verb
: to undergo or perform a process of cleaning
clean up before dinner
• clean·abil·i·ty ˌklē-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē noun
• clean·able ˈklē-nə-bəl adjective
•
- clean house
- clean one's clock
- clean up one's act
IV. noun
Date: circa 1889
: an act of cleaning dirt especially from the surface of something