clean
♦♦ clean /kl'iːn/ (cleaner cleanest cleans cleaning cleaned)
1 [ADJ]
Something that is clean is free from dirt or unwanted marks.
He wore his cleanest slacks, a clean shirt and a navy blazer...
Disease has not been a problem because clean water is available...
The metro is efficient and spotlessly clean...
≠ dirty
2 [ADJ]
You say that people or animals are clean when they keep themselves or their surroundings clean.
≠ dirty
3 [ADJ]
A clean fuel or chemical process does not create many harmful or polluting substances.
Fans of electric cars say they are clean, quiet and economical.
≠ dirty
● cleanly [ADV] ADV after v
Manufacturers are working with new fuels to find one that burns more cleanly than petrol.
4 [VERB] V n, V n prep/adv, V adv
If you clean something or clean dirt off it, you make it free from dirt and unwanted marks, for example by washing or wiping it. If something cleans easily, it is easy to clean.
Her father cleaned his glasses with a paper napkin...
It took half an hour to clean the orange powder off the bath...
Wood flooring not only cleans easily, but it's environmentally friendly into the bargain.
[N-SING]
Clean is also a noun.
Give the cooker a good clean.
5 [VERB] V, V n
If you clean a room or house, you make the inside of it and the furniture in it free from dirt and dust.
With them also lived Mary Burinda, who cooked and cleaned...
She got up early and cleaned the flat.
● cleaning [N-UNCOUNT]
I do the cleaning myself.
6 [ADJ]
If you describe something such as a book, joke, or lifestyle as clean, you think that they are not sexually immoral or offensive.
They're trying to show clean, wholesome, decent movies...
Flirting is good clean fun...
≠ dirty
7 [ADJ]
If someone has a clean reputation or record, they have never done anything illegal or wrong.
Accusations of tax evasion have tarnished his clean image...
You can hire these from most car hire firms, provided you have a clean driving licence.
8 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A clean game or fight is carried out fairly, according to the rules.
He called for a clean fight in the election and an end to `negative campaigning'...
= fair
≠ dirty
● cleanly [ADV] ADV after v, ADV -ed
The game had been cleanly fought.
9 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A clean sheet of paper has no writing or drawing on it.
Take a clean sheet of paper and down the left-hand side make a list.
= blank
10 [ADJ] ADJ n
If you make a clean break or start, you end a situation completely and start again in a different way.
She wanted to make a clean break from her mother and father.
11 [ADV] usu ADV prep/adv, also ADV before v
Clean is used to emphasize that something was done completely. (INFORMAL)
It burned clean through the seat of my overalls...
I clean forgot everything I had prepared.
12 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
You can describe an action as clean to indicate that it is carried out simply and quickly without mistakes.
They were more concerned about the dogs' welfare than a clean getaway...
≠ messy
● cleanly [ADV] ADV after v, ADV -ed
I struck the ball cleanly and my shot was on target.
13 [PHRASE] V inflects, oft PHR about/on n
If you come clean about something that you have been keeping secret, you admit it or tell people about it. (INFORMAL)
It would be better if you come clean about it and let her know what kind of man she is seeing.
14
to clean up your act: see act
to keep your nose clean: see nose
a clean slate: see slate
to wipe the slate clean: see slate
a clean sweep: see sweep
clean as a whistle: see whistleclean out
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you clean out something such as a cupboard, room, or container, you take everything out of it and clean the inside of it thoroughly.
Mr. Wall asked if I would help him clean out the bins...
If you are using the same pan, clean it out.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If someone cleans you out, they take all the money and valuables you have. If they clean out a place, they take everything of value that is in it. (INFORMAL)
I'm sure the burglars waited until my insurance claim was through and came back to clean me out again...
When they first captured the port, they virtually cleaned out its warehouses.clean up
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V P
If you clean up a mess or clean up a place where there is a mess, you make things tidy and free of dirt again.
Police in the city have been cleaning up the debris left by a day of violent confrontation...
Nina and Mary were in the kitchen, cleaning up after dinner.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
To clean up something such as the environment or an industrial process means to make it free from substances or processes that cause pollution.
Under pressure from the public, many regional governments cleaned up their beaches.
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If the police or authorities clean up a place or area of activity, they make it free from crime, corruption, and other unacceptable forms of behaviour.
After years of neglect and decline the city was cleaning itself up...
Since then, the authorities have tried to clean up the sport.
4 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V pron-refl P
If you go and clean up, you make yourself clean and tidy, especially after doing something that has made you dirty.
Johnny, go inside and get cleaned up...
I cleaned myself up a bit, and got the baby ready.
5 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If someone cleans up, they make a large profit or get a lot of money. (INFORMAL)
It has cleaned up at the box office.clean up after
[PHRASAL VERB] V P P n
If you clean up after someone, you clean or tidy a place that they have made dirty or untidy.
At the end, he nursed Lilly and cleaned up after her without minding.squeaky clean
also squeaky-clean
[ADJ]
If you say that someone is squeaky clean, you mean that they live a very moral life and have never done anything wrong. (INFORMAL)
Maybe this guy isn't so squeaky clean after all.
1 [ADJ]
Something that is clean is free from dirt or unwanted marks.
He wore his cleanest slacks, a clean shirt and a navy blazer...
Disease has not been a problem because clean water is available...
The metro is efficient and spotlessly clean...
≠ dirty
2 [ADJ]
You say that people or animals are clean when they keep themselves or their surroundings clean.
≠ dirty
3 [ADJ]
A clean fuel or chemical process does not create many harmful or polluting substances.
Fans of electric cars say they are clean, quiet and economical.
≠ dirty
● cleanly [ADV] ADV after v
Manufacturers are working with new fuels to find one that burns more cleanly than petrol.
4 [VERB] V n, V n prep/adv, V adv
If you clean something or clean dirt off it, you make it free from dirt and unwanted marks, for example by washing or wiping it. If something cleans easily, it is easy to clean.
Her father cleaned his glasses with a paper napkin...
It took half an hour to clean the orange powder off the bath...
Wood flooring not only cleans easily, but it's environmentally friendly into the bargain.
[N-SING]
Clean is also a noun.
Give the cooker a good clean.
5 [VERB] V, V n
If you clean a room or house, you make the inside of it and the furniture in it free from dirt and dust.
With them also lived Mary Burinda, who cooked and cleaned...
She got up early and cleaned the flat.
● cleaning [N-UNCOUNT]
I do the cleaning myself.
6 [ADJ]
If you describe something such as a book, joke, or lifestyle as clean, you think that they are not sexually immoral or offensive.
They're trying to show clean, wholesome, decent movies...
Flirting is good clean fun...
≠ dirty
7 [ADJ]
If someone has a clean reputation or record, they have never done anything illegal or wrong.
Accusations of tax evasion have tarnished his clean image...
You can hire these from most car hire firms, provided you have a clean driving licence.
8 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A clean game or fight is carried out fairly, according to the rules.
He called for a clean fight in the election and an end to `negative campaigning'...
= fair
≠ dirty
● cleanly [ADV] ADV after v, ADV -ed
The game had been cleanly fought.
9 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A clean sheet of paper has no writing or drawing on it.
Take a clean sheet of paper and down the left-hand side make a list.
= blank
10 [ADJ] ADJ n
If you make a clean break or start, you end a situation completely and start again in a different way.
She wanted to make a clean break from her mother and father.
11 [ADV] usu ADV prep/adv, also ADV before v
Clean is used to emphasize that something was done completely. (INFORMAL)
It burned clean through the seat of my overalls...
I clean forgot everything I had prepared.
12 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
You can describe an action as clean to indicate that it is carried out simply and quickly without mistakes.
They were more concerned about the dogs' welfare than a clean getaway...
≠ messy
● cleanly [ADV] ADV after v, ADV -ed
I struck the ball cleanly and my shot was on target.
13 [PHRASE] V inflects, oft PHR about/on n
If you come clean about something that you have been keeping secret, you admit it or tell people about it. (INFORMAL)
It would be better if you come clean about it and let her know what kind of man she is seeing.
14
to clean up your act: see act
to keep your nose clean: see nose
a clean slate: see slate
to wipe the slate clean: see slate
a clean sweep: see sweep
clean as a whistle: see whistleclean out
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you clean out something such as a cupboard, room, or container, you take everything out of it and clean the inside of it thoroughly.
Mr. Wall asked if I would help him clean out the bins...
If you are using the same pan, clean it out.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If someone cleans you out, they take all the money and valuables you have. If they clean out a place, they take everything of value that is in it. (INFORMAL)
I'm sure the burglars waited until my insurance claim was through and came back to clean me out again...
When they first captured the port, they virtually cleaned out its warehouses.clean up
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V P
If you clean up a mess or clean up a place where there is a mess, you make things tidy and free of dirt again.
Police in the city have been cleaning up the debris left by a day of violent confrontation...
Nina and Mary were in the kitchen, cleaning up after dinner.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
To clean up something such as the environment or an industrial process means to make it free from substances or processes that cause pollution.
Under pressure from the public, many regional governments cleaned up their beaches.
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If the police or authorities clean up a place or area of activity, they make it free from crime, corruption, and other unacceptable forms of behaviour.
After years of neglect and decline the city was cleaning itself up...
Since then, the authorities have tried to clean up the sport.
4 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V pron-refl P
If you go and clean up, you make yourself clean and tidy, especially after doing something that has made you dirty.
Johnny, go inside and get cleaned up...
I cleaned myself up a bit, and got the baby ready.
5 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If someone cleans up, they make a large profit or get a lot of money. (INFORMAL)
It has cleaned up at the box office.clean up after
[PHRASAL VERB] V P P n
If you clean up after someone, you clean or tidy a place that they have made dirty or untidy.
At the end, he nursed Lilly and cleaned up after her without minding.squeaky clean
also squeaky-clean
[ADJ]
If you say that someone is squeaky clean, you mean that they live a very moral life and have never done anything wrong. (INFORMAL)
Maybe this guy isn't so squeaky clean after all.