English Dictionary

CLEAN

Pronunciation (US): Play  (GB): Play

IPA (US): 

 Dictionary entry overview: What does clean mean? 

CLEAN (noun)
  The noun CLEAN has 1 sense:

1. a weightlift in which the barbell is lifted to shoulder height and then jerked overheadplay

  Familiarity information: CLEAN used as a noun is very rare.


CLEAN (adjective)
  The adjective CLEAN has 18 senses:

1. free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habitsplay

2. free of restrictions or qualificationsplay

3. (of sound or color) free from anything that dulls or dimsplay

4. free from impuritiesplay

5. (of a record) having no marks of discredit or offenseplay

6. ritually clean or pureplay

7. not spreading pollution or contamination; especially radioactive contaminationplay

8. (of behavior or especially language) free from objectionable elements; fit for all observersplay

9. free from sepsis or infectionplay

10. morally pureplay

11. (of a manuscript) having few alterations or correctionsplay

12. (of a surface) not written or printed onplay

13. exhibiting or calling for sportsmanship or fair playplay

14. without difficulties or problemsplay

15. thorough and without qualificationplay

16. not carrying concealed weaponsplay

17. free from clumsiness; precisely or deftly executedplay

18. free of drugsplay

  Familiarity information: CLEAN used as an adjective is very familiar.


CLEAN (verb)
  The verb CLEAN has 10 senses:

1. make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances fromplay

2. remove unwanted substances from, such as feathers or pitsplay

3. clean and tidy up the houseplay

4. clean one's body or parts thereof, as by washingplay

5. be cleanableplay

6. deprive wholly of money in a gambling game, robbery, etc.play

7. remove all contents or possession from, or empty completelyplay

8. remove while making cleanplay

9. remove unwanted substances fromplay

10. remove shells or husks fromplay

  Familiarity information: CLEAN used as a verb is familiar.


CLEAN (adverb)
  The adverb CLEAN has 2 senses:

1. completely; used as intensifiersplay

2. in conformity with the rules or laws and without fraud or cheatingplay

  Familiarity information: CLEAN used as an adverb is rare.


 Dictionary entry details 


CLEAN (noun)


Sense 1

Meaning:

A weightlift in which the barbell is lifted to shoulder height and then jerked overhead

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

clean; clean and jerk

Hypernyms ("clean" is a kind of...):

weightlift; weightlifting (bodybuilding by exercise that involves lifting weights)

Meronyms (parts of "clean"):

jerk (raising a weight from shoulder height to above the head by straightening the arms)


CLEAN (adjective)

 Declension: comparative and superlative 
Comparative: cleaner  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
Superlative: cleanest  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation


Sense 1

Meaning:

Free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits

Context example:

cats are clean animals

Similar:

immaculate; speckless; spic; spic-and-span; spick; spick-and-span; spotless (completely neat and clean)

washed; water-washed (clean by virtue of having been washed in water)

unsullied (spotlessly clean and fresh)

unsoiled; unspotted; unstained (without soil or spot or stain)

scrubbed (made clean by scrubbing)

pristine (immaculately clean and unused)

fresh; unused (not yet used or soiled)

dry-cleaned (cleaned with chemical solvents)

cleanly (habitually clean)

cleanable (capable of being cleaned)

Also:

antiseptic (thoroughly clean and free of or destructive to disease-causing organisms)

tidy (marked by order and cleanliness in appearance or habits)

Attribute:

cleanness (the state of being clean; without dirt or other impurities)

Antonym:

dirty (soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime)

Derivation:

cleanness (the state of being clean; without dirt or other impurities)


Sense 2

Meaning:

Free of restrictions or qualifications

Synonyms:

clean; clear

Context example:

a clear winner

Similar:

unqualified (not limited or restricted)


Sense 3

Meaning:

(of sound or color) free from anything that dulls or dims

Synonyms:

clean; clear; light; unclouded

Context example:

a light lilting voice like a silver bell

Similar:

pure (free of extraneous elements of any kind)


Sense 4

Meaning:

Free from impurities

Synonyms:

clean; fresh

Context example:

fresh air

Similar:

pure (free of extraneous elements of any kind)

Derivation:

cleanness (the state of being clean; without dirt or other impurities)


Sense 5

Meaning:

(of a record) having no marks of discredit or offense

Context example:

a clean driver's license

Similar:

perfect (being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish)


Sense 6

Meaning:

Ritually clean or pure

Similar:

halal; cosher; kosher (conforming to dietary laws)

Also:

clean (free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits)

pure (free of extraneous elements of any kind)

Domain category:

faith; religion; religious belief (a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny)

Antonym:

unclean (having a physical or moral blemish so as to make impure according to dietary or ceremonial laws)


Sense 7

Meaning:

Not spreading pollution or contamination; especially radioactive contamination

Synonyms:

clean; uncontaminating

Context example:

the tactical bomb is reasonably clean

Antonym:

dirty (spreading pollution or contamination; especially radioactive contamination)

Derivation:

cleanness (the state of being clean; without dirt or other impurities)


Sense 8

Meaning:

(of behavior or especially language) free from objectionable elements; fit for all observers

Synonyms:

clean; unobjectionable

Context example:

a clean joke

Similar:

antiseptic (devoid of objectionable language)

Also:

decent (conforming to conventions of sexual behavior)

Antonym:

dirty ((of behavior or especially language) characterized by obscenity or indecency)


Sense 9

Meaning:

Free from sepsis or infection

Synonyms:

clean; uninfected

Context example:

a clean (or uninfected) wound

Similar:

antiseptic (thoroughly clean and free of or destructive to disease-causing organisms)

Derivation:

cleanness (the state of being clean; without dirt or other impurities)


Sense 10

Meaning:

Morally pure

Synonyms:

clean; clean-living

Context example:

led a clean life

Similar:

moral (concerned with principles of right and wrong or conforming to standards of behavior and character based on those principles)

Derivation:

cleanness (without moral defects)


Sense 11

Meaning:

(of a manuscript) having few alterations or corrections

Synonyms:

clean; fair

Context example:

a clean manuscript

Similar:

legible ((of handwriting, print, etc.) capable of being read or deciphered)


Sense 12

Meaning:

(of a surface) not written or printed on

Synonyms:

blank; clean; white

Context example:

wide white margins

Similar:

empty (holding or containing nothing)


Sense 13

Meaning:

Exhibiting or calling for sportsmanship or fair play

Synonyms:

clean; sporting; sportsmanlike; sporty

Context example:

sportsmanlike conduct

Similar:

fair; just (free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules)

Derivation:

cleanness (without moral defects)


Sense 14

Meaning:

Without difficulties or problems

Context example:

a clean test flight

Similar:

easy (posing no difficulty; requiring little effort)


Sense 15

Meaning:

Thorough and without qualification

Context example:

a clean break

Similar:

complete (having every necessary or normal part or component or step)


Sense 16

Meaning:

Not carrying concealed weapons

Similar:

unarmed ((used of persons or the military) not having or using arms)


Sense 17

Meaning:

Free from clumsiness; precisely or deftly executed

Synonyms:

clean; neat

Context example:

the neat exactness of the surgeon's knife

Similar:

adroit (quick or skillful or adept in action or thought)


Sense 18

Meaning:

Free of drugs

Context example:

after a long dependency on heroin she has been clean for 4 years

Similar:

unaddicted (not addicted)


CLEAN (verb)

 Conjugation: 
Present simple: I / you / we / they clean  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation ... he / she / it cleans  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
Past simple: cleaned  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
Past participle: cleaned  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
-ing form: cleaning  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation


Sense 1

Meaning:

Make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances from

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

clean; make clean

Context example:

The dentist cleaned my teeth

Hypernyms (to "clean" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Verb group:

clean; clean house; houseclean (clean and tidy up the house)

clean (be cleanable)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "clean"):

hygienise; hygienize; sanitise; sanitize (make sanitary by cleaning or sterilizing)

launder; wash (cleanse with a cleaning agent, such as soap, and water)

dry clean (clean with chemical agents)

scavenge (clean refuse from)

pipe-clay (whiten or clean with pipe-clay)

do the dishes; wash up (wash dishes)

sweep (clean by sweeping)

plume; preen (clean with one's bill)

steam; steam clean (clean by means of steaming)

bream (clean (a ship's bottom) with heat)

hoover; vacuum; vacuum-clean (clean with a vacuum cleaner)

dust (remove the dust from)

brush (clean with a brush)

disinfect (destroy microorganisms or pathogens by cleansing)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

They clean the cape

Antonym:

dirty (make soiled, filthy, or dirty)

Derivation:

cleaner (a preparation used in cleaning something)

cleaner (someone whose occupation is cleaning)

cleaner (the operator of dry-cleaning establishment)

cleaning (the act of making something clean)


Sense 2

Meaning:

Remove unwanted substances from, such as feathers or pits

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

clean; pick

Context example:

Clean the turkey

Hypernyms (to "clean" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something


Sense 3

Meaning:

Clean and tidy up the house

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

clean; clean house; houseclean

Context example:

She housecleans every week

Hypernyms (to "clean" is one way to...):

clean up; neaten; square away; straighten; straighten out; tidy; tidy up (put (things or places) in order)

Verb group:

clean (remove while making clean)

clean; make clean (make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances from)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "clean"):

G.I.; GI (clean in preparation for inspection)

spring-clean (thoroughly clean the entire house, often done only once a year)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

cleaner (someone whose occupation is cleaning)

cleaning (the act of making something clean)


Sense 4

Meaning:

Clean one's body or parts thereof, as by washing

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

clean; cleanse

Context example:

clean your fingernails before dinner

Hypernyms (to "clean" is one way to...):

groom; neaten (care for one's external appearance)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "clean"):

wash (to cleanse (itself or another animal) by licking)

lave; wash (cleanse (one's body) with soap and water)

lather; soap (rub soap all over, usually with the purpose of cleaning)

douche (direct a spray of water into a bodily cavity, for cleaning)

floss (use dental floss to clean)

decontaminate (rid of contamination)

bathe (cleanse the entire body)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They clean themselves

Derivation:

cleaning (the act of making something clean)


Sense 5

Meaning:

Be cleanable

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

This stove cleans easily

Hypernyms (to "clean" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Verb group:

clean; make clean (make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances from)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

cleaning (the act of making something clean)


Sense 6

Meaning:

Deprive wholly of money in a gambling game, robbery, etc.

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

The other players cleaned him completely

Hypernyms (to "clean" is one way to...):

deprive; divest; strip (take away possessions from someone)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody


Sense 7

Meaning:

Remove all contents or possession from, or empty completely

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

clean; strip

Context example:

The trees were cleaned of apples by the storm

Hypernyms (to "clean" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody of something
Somebody ----s PP


Sense 8

Meaning:

Remove while making clean

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

Clean the spots off the rug

Hypernyms (to "clean" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Verb group:

clean; clean house; houseclean (clean and tidy up the house)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Sentence example:

They clean the snow from the path

Derivation:

cleaning (the act of making something clean)


Sense 9

Meaning:

Remove unwanted substances from

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

clean; scavenge

Hypernyms (to "clean" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Domain category:

chemical science; chemistry (the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

cleaning (the act of making something clean)


Sense 10

Meaning:

Remove shells or husks from

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

clean grain before milling it

Hypernyms (to "clean" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

The chefs clean the vegetables


CLEAN (adverb)


Sense 1

Meaning:

Completely; used as intensifiers

Synonyms:

clean; plum; plumb

Context example:

I'm plumb (or plum) tuckered out

Domain usage:

argot; cant; jargon; lingo; patois; slang; vernacular (a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves))


Sense 2

Meaning:

In conformity with the rules or laws and without fraud or cheating

Synonyms:

clean; fair; fairly

Context example:

they played fairly


 Context examples 


The grey pavement had been cleaned and scraped, but was still dangerously slippery, so that there were fewer passengers than usual.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He kept the key in his pocket, made his own bed, cleaned it himself, and allowed no other foot to cross the threshold.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

At last he said: Oh, you wretched beard-cleaner, you piebald fool, you hungry mouse-hunter, what can you be thinking of?

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Carbon Tetrachloride is used as a solvent for oils and fats, as a refrigerant and as a dry-cleaning agent.

(Carbon Tetrachloride, NCI Thesaurus)

The researchers used a ground station based in Manacapuru city — located 80 kilometres from Manaus — which receives both the pollution carried by the wind from Manaus and the clean air from the forest.

(Tiny pollutants intensify storms in the Amazon, SciDev.Net)

In medicine, the removal of an organ or tumor in such a way that it comes out clean and whole, like a nut from its shell.

(Enucleation, NCI Dictionary)

Scar tissue cannot do what healthy liver tissue does - make protein, help fight infections, clean the blood, help digest food and store energy.

(Cirrhosis, NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Our only chance of safety lay in making a clean job of it, said he, and he would not leave a tongue with power to wag in a witness-box.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

For babies, you should clean teeth with a soft, clean cloth or baby's toothbrush.

(Child Dental Health, NIH: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research)

Keeping your nails clean, dry, and trimmed can help you avoid some problems.

(Nail Diseases, NIH)



 Learn English with... Proverbs 
"Rome wasn't built in a day." (English proverb)

"A good friend is recognized in times of trouble" (Bulgarian proverb)

"Fortune visits only once." (Armenian proverb)

"The word goes out but the message is lost." (Corsican proverb)



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