clean (kl n)adj. clean·er, clean·est 1. Free from dirt, stain, or impurities; unsoiled. 2. a. Free from foreign matter or pollution; unadulterated: clean air; clean drinking water. b. Not infected: a clean wound. 3. a. Producing relatively little pollution: a clean fuel; a cleaner, more efficient engine. b. Producing relatively little radioactive fallout or contamination: a clean nuclear bomb. 4. Having no imperfections or blemishes; regular or even: a clean edge; a smooth, clean joint. 5. a. Not ornate or intricate; spare: "the clean lines and exquisite proportions of early modernism" Judith Thurman. b. Sharply defined; clear-cut: a clean outline against the sky. 6. Free from clumsiness; deft; adroit: a clean throw. 7. Devoid of restrictions or encumbrances: a clean bill of health. 8. Thorough; complete: a clean getaway. 9. Having few alterations or corrections; legible: clean manuscript. 10. Blank: a clean page. 11. a. Morally pure; virtuous: led a clean life. b. Having no marks of discredit or offense: a clean voting record. 12. Fit for all readers, listeners, or audiences; not ribald or obscene: a clean joke. 13. Honest or fair: a clean fighter; a clean competition. 14. Slang a. Not carrying concealed weapons or drugs. b. Innocent of a suspected crime. 15. Informal a. Free from narcotics addiction. b. Showing no evidence of using banned or performance-enhancing substances: proven to be clean before the race. adv. cleaner, cleanest 1. So as to be unsoiled: wash the dishes clean. 2. In a fair manner: played the game clean. 3. In a clean or nonpolluting manner: a fuel that burns clean. 4. Informal Entirely; wholly: clean forgot the appointment. v. cleaned, clean·ing, cleans v.tr.1. To rid of dirt, rubbish, or impurities: clean a room; clean a suit. 2. To get rid of (impurities or dirt, for example); remove: cleaned up the trash; cleaned off the stains. 3. To prepare (fowl or other food) for cooking, as by removing the entrails or fat. 4. To remove the contents from; empty: cleaned my plate. 5. Sports To lift (a barbell) from the floor to the shoulders in one motion. v.intr. To undergo or perform an act of cleaning. Phrasal Verbs: clean out1. To rid of dirt, rubbish, or impurities. 2. To empty of contents or occupants. 3. Informal To drive or force out: cleaned out the incompetent workers. 4. Slang To deprive completely of money or material wealth: The robbery cleaned us out. clean up1. To make clean or orderly. 2. To make oneself clean, neat, or presentable. 3. To dispose of; settle: cleaned up the unpaid bills. 4. Slang To make a large profit, often in a short period of time: cleaned up during the bull market. Idiom: clean house Slang To eliminate or discard what is undesirable: The scandal forced the company to clean house.
[Middle English clene, from Old English cl ne.]
clean a·ble adj. cleanness n. Synonyms: clean, antiseptic, cleanly, immaculate, spotless These adjectives mean free from dirt: clean clothing; antiseptic surgical instruments; a cleanly pet; an immaculate tablecloth; a spotless kitchen. |
clean Adjective 1. free from dirt or impurities: clean water 2. habitually hygienic and neat 3. morally sound: clean living 4. without objectionable language or obscenity: good clean fun 5. without anything in it or on it: a clean sheet of paper 6. causing little contamination or pollution: rape seed oil may provide a clean alternative to petrol 7. recently washed; fresh 8. thorough or complete: a clean break with the past 9. skilful and done without fumbling; dexterous: a clean catch 10. Sport played fairly and without fouls 11. free from dishonesty or corruption: clean government 12. simple and streamlined in design: the clean lines and colourful simplicity of these ceramics 13. (esp. of a driving licence) showing or having no record of offences 14. Slang a. innocent b. not carrying illegal drugs, weapons, etc. Verb to make or become free of dirt: he wanted to help me clean the room Adverb 1. in a clean way 2. Not standard completely: she clean forgot to face the camera 3. come clean Informal to make a revelation or confession Noun the act or an instance of cleaning: the fridge could do with a clean
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms | Noun | 1. |  clean - a weightlift in which the barbell is lifted to shoulder height and then jerked overheadjerk - raising a weight from shoulder height to above the head by straightening the arms | | Verb | 1. |  clean - make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances from; "Clean the stove!"; "The dentist cleaned my teeth"disinfect - destroy microorganisms or pathogens by cleansing; "disinfect a wound" alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" brush - clean with a brush; "She brushed the suit before hanging it back into the closet" dust - remove the dust from; "dust the cabinets" bream - clean (a ship's bottom) with heat steam clean, steam - clean by means of steaming; "steam-clean the upholstered sofa" preen, plume - clean with one's bill; "The birds preened" sweep - clean by sweeping; "Please sweep the floor" pipe-clay - whiten or clean with pipe-clay; "pipe-clay leather" scavenge - clean refuse from; "Scavenge a street" launder, wash - cleanse with a cleaning agent, such as soap, and water; "Wash the towels, please!" clean - be cleanable; "This stove cleans easily" | | 2. | clean - remove unwanted substances from, such as feathers or pits; "Clean the turkey"remove, take away, withdraw, take - remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract; "remove a threat"; "remove a wrapper"; "Remove the dirty dishes from the table"; "take the gun from your pocket"; "This machine withdraws heat from the environment" | | 3. | clean - clean and tidy up the house; "She housecleans every week"clean - remove while making clean; "Clean the spots off the rug" clean, make clean - make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances from; "Clean the stove!"; "The dentist cleaned my teeth" G.I., GI - clean in preparation for inspection; "the soldiers GIed the barracks" spring-clean - thoroughly clean the entire house, often done only once a year; "she started spring-cleaning on April 1" | | 4. | clean - clean one's body or parts thereof, as by washing; "clean up before you see your grandparents"; "clean your fingernails before dinner"bathe - cleanse the entire body; "bathe daily" wash - to cleanse (itself or another animal) by licking; "The cat washes several times a day" lave, wash - cleanse (one's body) with soap and water soap, lather - rub soap all over, usually with the purpose of cleaning bath, bathe - clean one's body by immersion into water; "The child should bathe every day" douche - direct a spray of water into a bodily cavity, for cleaning neaten, groom - care for one's external appearance; "He is always well-groomed" floss - use dental floss to clean; "floss your teeth after every meal" decontaminate - rid of contamination; "The soil around the housing development had to be decontaminated by the city" | | 5. | clean - be cleanable; "This stove cleans easily"clean, make clean - make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances from; "Clean the stove!"; "The dentist cleaned my teeth" be - have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun); "John is rich"; "This is not a good answer" | | 6. | clean - deprive wholly of money in a gambling game, robbery, etc.; "The other players cleaned him completely"deprive, divest, strip - take away possessions from someone; "The Nazis stripped the Jews of all their assets" | | 7. | clean - remove all contents or possession from, or empty completely; "The boys cleaned the sandwich platters"; "The trees were cleaned of apples by the storm"remove, take away, withdraw, take - remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract; "remove a threat"; "remove a wrapper"; "Remove the dirty dishes from the table"; "take the gun from your pocket"; "This machine withdraws heat from the environment" | | 8. | clean - remove while making clean; "Clean the spots off the rug"remove, take away, withdraw, take - remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract; "remove a threat"; "remove a wrapper"; "Remove the dirty dishes from the table"; "take the gun from your pocket"; "This machine withdraws heat from the environment" | | 9. | clean - remove unwanted substances fromchemical science, chemistry - the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions remove, take away, withdraw, take - remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract; "remove a threat"; "remove a wrapper"; "Remove the dirty dishes from the table"; "take the gun from your pocket"; "This machine withdraws heat from the environment" | | 10. | clean - remove shells or husks from; "clean grain before milling it"remove, take away, withdraw, take - remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract; "remove a threat"; "remove a wrapper"; "Remove the dirty dishes from the table"; "take the gun from your pocket"; "This machine withdraws heat from the environment" | | Adj. | 1. | clean - free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits; "children with clean shining faces"; "clean white shirts"; "clean dishes"; "a spotlessly clean house"; "cats are clean animals"antiseptic - thoroughly clean and free of or destructive to disease-causing organisms; "doctors in antiseptic green coats"; "the antiseptic effect of alcohol"; "it is said that marjoram has antiseptic qualities" tidy - marked by order and cleanliness in appearance or habits; "a tidy person"; "a tidy house"; "a tidy mind" dirty, soiled, unclean - soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime; "dirty unswept sidewalks"; "a child in dirty overalls"; "dirty slums"; "piles of dirty dishes"; "put his dirty feet on the clean sheet"; "wore an unclean shirt"; "mining is a dirty job"; "Cinderella did the dirty work while her sisters preened themselves" | | 2. | clean - free of restrictions or qualifications; "a clean bill of health"; "a clear winner"unqualified - not limited or restricted; "an unqualified denial" | | 3. |  clean - (of sound or color) free from anything that dulls or dims; "efforts to obtain a clean bass in orchestral recordings"; "clear laughter like a waterfall"; "clear reds and blues"; "a light lilting voice like a silver bell"pure - free of extraneous elements of any kind; "pure air and water"; "pure gold"; "pure primary colors"; "the violin's pure and lovely song"; "pure tones"; "pure oxygen" | | 4. | clean - free from impurities; "clean water"; "fresh air"pure - free of extraneous elements of any kind; "pure air and water"; "pure gold"; "pure primary colors"; "the violin's pure and lovely song"; "pure tones"; "pure oxygen" | | 5. | clean - (of a record) having no marks of discredit or offense; "a clean voting record"; "a clean driver's license"perfect - being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish; "a perfect circle"; "a perfect reproduction"; "perfect happiness"; "perfect manners"; "a perfect specimen"; "a perfect day" | | 6. | clean - ritually clean or purefaith, religion, religious belief - a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny; "he lost his faith but not his morality" clean - free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits; "children with clean shining faces"; "clean white shirts"; "clean dishes"; "a spotlessly clean house"; "cats are clean animals" pure - free of extraneous elements of any kind; "pure air and water"; "pure gold"; "pure primary colors"; "the violin's pure and lovely song"; "pure tones"; "pure oxygen" unclean, impure - having a physical or moral blemish so as to make impure according to dietary or ceremonial laws; "unclean meat"; "and the swine...is unclean to you"-Leviticus 11:3 | | 7. |  clean - not spreading pollution or contamination; especially radioactive contamination; "a clean fuel"; "cleaner and more efficient engines"; "the tactical bomb is reasonably clean"contaminating, dirty - spreading pollution or contamination; especially radioactive contamination; "the air near the foundry was always dirty"; "a dirty bomb releases enormous amounts of long-lived radioactive fallout" | | 8. |  clean - (of behavior or especially language) free from objectionable elements; fit for all observers; "good clean fun"; "a clean joke"decent - conforming to conventions of sexual behavior; "speech in this circle, if not always decent, never became lewd"- George Santayana dirty - (of behavior or especially language) characterized by obscenity or indecency; "dirty words"; "a dirty old man"; "dirty books and movies"; "boys telling dirty jokes"; "has a dirty mouth" | | 9. |  clean - free from sepsis or infection; "a clean (or uninfected) wound"antiseptic - thoroughly clean and free of or destructive to disease-causing organisms; "doctors in antiseptic green coats"; "the antiseptic effect of alcohol"; "it is said that marjoram has antiseptic qualities" | | 10. | clean - morally pure; "led a clean life"moral - concerned with principles of right and wrong or conforming to standards of behavior and character based on those principles; "moral sense"; "a moral scrutiny"; "a moral lesson"; "a moral quandary"; "moral convictions"; "a moral life" | | 11. | clean - (of a manuscript) having few alterations or corrections; "fair copy"; "a clean manuscript"legible - (of handwriting, print, etc.) capable of being read or deciphered; "legible handwriting" | | 12. | clean - (of a surface) not written or printed on; "blank pages"; "fill in the blank spaces"; "a clean page"; "wide white margins"empty - holding or containing nothing; "an empty glass"; "an empty room"; "full of empty seats"; "empty hours" | | 13. | clean - exhibiting or calling for sportsmanship or fair play; "a clean fight"; "a sporting solution of the disagreement"; "sportsmanlike conduct"fair, just - free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules; "a fair referee"; "fair deal"; "on a fair footing"; "a fair fight"; "by fair means or foul" | | 14. | clean - without difficulties or problems; "a clean test flight"easy - posing no difficulty; requiring little effort; "an easy job"; "an easy problem"; "an easy victory"; "the house is easy to heat"; "satisfied with easy answers"; "took the easy way out of his dilemma" | | 15. | clean - thorough and without qualification; "a clean getaway"; "a clean sweep"; "a clean break"complete - having every necessary or normal part or component or step; "a complete meal"; "a complete wardrobe"; "a complete set of the Britannica"; "a complete set of china"; "a complete defeat"; "a complete accounting" | | 16. | clean - not carrying concealed weaponsunarmed - (used of persons or the military) not having or using arms; "went alone and unarmed"; "unarmed peasants were shot down"; "unarmed vehicles" | | 17. | clean - free from clumsiness; precisely or deftly executed; "he landed a clean left on his opponent's cheek"; "a clean throw"; "the neat exactness of the surgeon's knife"adroit - quick or skillful or adept in action or thought; "an exceptionally adroit pianist"; "an adroit technician"; "his adroit replies to hecklers won him many followers"; "an adroit negotiator" | | 18. | clean - free of drugs; "after a long dependency on heroin she has been clean for 4 years" | | Adv. | 1. | clean - completely; used as intensifiers; "clean forgot the appointment"; "I'm plumb (or plum) tuckered out" | | 2. | clean - in conformity with the rules or laws and without fraud or cheating; "they played fairly" |
clean adjective 1. hygienic, natural, fresh, sterile, pure, purified, antiseptic, sterilized, unadulterated, uncontaminated, unpolluted, decontaminated << OPPOSITE contaminated adjective 2. spotless, fresh, washed, immaculate, laundered, impeccable, flawless, sanitary, faultless, squeaky-clean, hygienic, unblemished, unsullied, unstained, unsoiled, unspotted << OPPOSITE dirty adjective 3. moral, good, pure, decent, innocent, respectable, upright, honourable, impeccable, exemplary, virtuous, chaste, undefiled << OPPOSITE immoral verb 6. cleanse, wash, bath, sweep, dust, wipe, vacuum, scrub, sponge, rinse, mop, launder, scour, purify, do up, swab, disinfect, deodorize, sanitize << OPPOSITE dirty  Translations clean [kliːn] adj → limpio; [ copy] → en limpio; [ lines] → bien definidoto come clean ( col) (= admit guilt); confesarlo todo; to clean one's teeth → lavarse los dientes
 clean [kliːn] adj → propre (= clear, smooth); net(te); [ record, reputation] → sans tache; [ joke, story] → correct(e)to come clean ( inf) (= admit guilt); se mettre à table; to clean one's teeth → se laver les dents; clean driving licence or (US) record → permis où n'est portée aucune indication de contravention vi (fig) (= make profit);
 clean [kliːn] adj → sauber; to have a clean driving licence, to have a clean driving record ( US) → keine Strafpunkte haben;
 clean [kliːn] adj → pulito/a (= clear, smooth); netto/aadv he clean forgot → si è completamente dimenticato; to have a clean driving licence or record ( US) → non aver mai preso contravvenzioni; to clean one's teeth (BRIT) → lavarsi i denti ( fig) (= make profit): to clean up on → fare una barca di soldi con
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cleaning house
