26984 words

clean

29 definitions • 57 examples
1
free from any dirty marks, pollution, bacteria, etc.:

Examples:

a clean white shirt
clean air/water
Make sure your hands are clean before you have your dinner.
Hospitals need to be kept spotlessly (= extremely) clean.
2
honest or fair, or showing that you have not done anything illegal:

Examples:

a good clean fight
clean record The judge took the defendant's clean record (= the absence of previous involvement in crime) into account when passing sentence.
I've always had a clean driver's licence.
It was a clean tackle.
3
not doing anything illegal, or not having or carrying illegal drugs or stolen goods:

Examples:

The police busted Pete last night, but he was clean.
4

Examples:

good clean fun Because it's a family film, it's all good clean fun.
clean living She follows a strict pattern of clean living and healthy exercise.
5
not about sex:

Examples:

Can't you think of any clean jokes?
6
having stopped taking an illegal drug after taking it regularly:

Examples:

She is a former heroin addict who has been clean for about 13 years.
It's incredibly hard for a junkie to stay clean.
7
having no rough edges, and smooth, straight, or equally balanced:

Examples:

Sand the board until you have a nice, clean surface.
clean break I've broken my leg, but the doctor says that it's a clean break, so it should heal easily.
clean line What he liked about the car was its clean lines.
clean cut I tried to make a clean cut, but the knife wasn't sharp enough.
8
done skilfully and without mistakes:

Examples:

He skated toward his coach smiling after a clean landing.
A good clean hit from Pietersen sent the ball straight out to the boundary.
She played the solo part with a clean, elegant technique.
I've watched that goal about a thousand times and it is probably one of the cleanest strikes I've ever made.
All of the company's dancing is impressively clean, buoyant and fast.
9

Examples:

clean break It's better for both of us if we make a clean break (= end our relationship completely).
Sara says she needs a clean break with the past.
The clean departure of one party in the dispute is better than a long-running war of attrition.
10
When something you write on is clean, there is nothing on it or it is not yet used:

Examples:

Take a clean sheet of paper.
11
to remove dirt from something:

Examples:

I'm going to clean the windows this morning.
You should always clean your teeth after meals.
clean something from something Would you clean the fingermarks from the door?
12
to become clean:

Examples:

This carpet doesn't clean very well.
clean off I hope these bloodstains will clean off my shirt.
13
to prepare a fish or an animal killed for food by removing the inside parts of it that are not eaten
14
when something is cleaned:

Examples:

These windows need a really thorough clean.
15

Examples:

I clean forgot that I was supposed to be meeting Lucy last night.
He's been cheating his customers for years, and getting clean away with it.
clean through The bullet went clean through his shoulder.
16
free of dirt or other unwanted parts or pieces:

Examples:

Make sure you wear a clean shirt.
Hospital rooms have to be kept clean.
17
Clean also means free from harmful substances, or pure:

Examples:

clean air/water
18
honest or fair; not breaking rules or laws:

Examples:

"Let’s make it a clean fight," said the referee.
Before his conviction for fraud, he had a clean record (= he had not been involved in crime previously).
slang They searched him, but he was clean (= he was not carrying anything illegal or not allowed).
19
Clean also means morally acceptable and not giving offense:

Examples:

clean living
a clean joke
20

Examples:

It’s better for both of us if we make a clean break and stop seeing each other.
21
new and not used:

Examples:

a clean sheet of paper
22
to remove dirt or unwanted parts or pieces from something:

Examples:

[ T ] Saturday morning is our time to clean the house.
[ T ] You should clean a wound immediately to avoid infection.
23
honest and fair, or showing that you have done nothing illegal or morally wrong:

Examples:

a clean record/report/license Job applicants must have a clean commercial driver's license.
He said the campaign's priorities will be "education and clean government."
24
free of, or producing no harmful chemicals or substances:

Examples:

clean energy/fuel/technology clean energy from renewable sources such as solar and wind power
clean air/water/soil
25
to have never been involved in a dishonest or illegal activity:

Examples:

An audit proved that neither company had clean hands when it came to reporting profits.
26
to take action to make an organization operate more honestly and effectively:

Examples:

Companies like to clean house between chief executives, so as to give the newcomer a positive base to work from.
27
used to tell someone they are being removed from their job:

Examples:

He was told to clean out his desk by noon.
28
to start to obey laws or accepted standards of behaviour:

Examples:

There are still serious questions about whether the company has cleaned up its act since its $11 billion accounting fraud was exposed.
29
to admit the truth about a secret you have been trying to keep:

Examples:

come clean about/on/over sth Corporate managers were criticized for not coming clean sooner about the company's plans to split.

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