free from all writing or marking: a clean sheet of paper.
7.
having few or no corrections; easily readable: The publisher demanded clean proofs from the printer.
8.
free from roughness or irregularity: He made a clean cut with a razor.
9.
not ornate; gracefully spare; forceful and simple; trim; streamlined: a clean literary style; the clean lines of a ship.
10.
complete; unqualified: a clean break with tradition.
11.
morally pure; innocent; upright; honorable: to lead a clean life.
12.
showing good sportsmanship; fair: a clean fighter.
13.
inoffensive in language or content; without obscenity.
14.
(of a document, record, etc.) bearing no marks of discreditable or unlawful conduct; listing no offenses: a clean driver's license.
15.
Slang.
a.
innocent of any crime.
b.
not having a criminal record.
c.
carrying or containing no evidence of unlawful activity or intent, as controlled substances, unlicensed weapons, or contraband: The agents searched the car for drugs, but it was clean.
d.
not using narcotics.
16.
(of a nuclear weapon) producing little or no radioactive fallout.
17.
not radioactive.
18.
(of a document or financial instrument) free from qualifications or restrictions: a clean bill of lading.
19.
free from defects or flaws: a clean diamond.
20.
free from encumbrances or obstructions.
21.
neatly or evenly made or proportioned; shapely; trim: a clean profile.
22.
made without any unanticipated difficulty or interference: The bank robbers made a clean getaway.
23.
Chiefly Biblical. having no physical or moral blemish or carrying no taboo so as to make impure according to the laws, especially the dietary or ceremonial laws: a clean animal; clean persons.
24.
dexterously performed; adroit: a clean serve in tennis.
25.
(of a jump over an obstacle) made without touching the obstacle.
26.
Slang. having no direct associations, business interests, etc., that could prejudice one's official acts or decisions: The new governor is clean because he's sold his construction business and doesn't owe political favors to anyone.
27.
Slang. without money or funds.
28.
(of wine) having a taste that is unusually refreshing and smooth.
29.
Nautical. (of an anchorage, harbor, etc.) free of obstructions or hazards (opposed to foul).
30.
(of the legs of a horse) free from injury or blemish, as capped hocks, splints, or scars.
31.
Foreign Exchange. (of currency floats) not influenced by exchange-rate manipulation (opposed to dirty).
to empty or rid (a place) of occupants, contents, etc.: Eager customers cleaned out the store on the first day of the sale. The thief cleaned out the safe.
e.
Slang. to cause to lose all or almost all one's money or possessions.
45.
clean up,
a.
to wash or tidy up.
b.
to rid of undesirable persons or features: They cleaned up the local bars.
c.
to put an end to; finish: to clean up yesterday's chores.
d.
Informal. to make a large profit: They cleaned up in the stock market.
Idioms
46.
clean full, Nautical.
a.
(of a sail or sails) filled with wind; rap full.
b.
(of a sailing vessel) with all sails full of wind; rap full.
47.
clean house, to wipe out corruption, inefficiency, etc., as in an organization: It's time for the city government to clean house.
Can be confused:1. clean, cleanse (see synonym note at the current entry); 2. cleanliness, cleanness.
Synonyms 1. neat, immaculate. Clean,clear,pure refer to freedom from soiling, flaw, stain, or mixture. Clean refers especially to freedom from soiling: a clean shirt. Clear refers particularly to freedom from flaw or blemish: a clear pane of glass. Pure refers especially to freedom from mixture or stain: a pure metal; not diluted but pure and full strength. 7. legible. 11. unsullied, chaste, virtuous. 19. unblemished, flawless. 34. entirely, thoroughly. 35. scour, scrub, sweep, brush, wipe, mop, dust, wash, rinse, lave, deterge, purify, clear; decontaminate. Clean,cleanse refer to removing dirt or impurities. To clean is the general word with no implication of method or means: to clean windows, a kitchen, streets. Cleanse is especially used of thorough cleaning by chemical or other technical process; figuratively it applies to moral or spiritual purification: to cleanse parts of machinery; to cleanse one's soul of guilt.
O.E. clæne "clean, pure," from W.Gmc. *klainoz "clear, pure," from PIE base *gel- "to gleam" (cf. Gk. glene "eyeball," O.Ir. gel "bright"). As an adj., replaced in higher senses by clear, pure, but as a verb (c.1450) it has largely usurped what once belonged to
cleanse. The adj. clean in the sense of "innocent" is from c.1300; that of "not lewd" is from 1867; that of "free of drug addiction" is 1950s. To take (someone) to the cleaners "get all of (someone's) money" is from 1932
tv. to get all of someone's money. (See also cleaned out.) : The bill for supper cleaned me out, and we couldn't go to the flick.
tv. to empty someone's bowels. (See also cleaned out.) : That medicine I took really cleaned me out.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition. Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
Empty something of its contents, leave bare. For example, The crows cleaned out the whole field of corn, or At the shop's first sale the customers cleaned out the entire stock of shoes. [Mid-1800s]
Deprive of money or other material resources. This usage originated in gambling, where it signified losing one's last stake. Charles Dickens had it in Oliver Twist(1838): "He has cleaned me out, but I can go and earn some more." [Early 1800s]
Drive out by force, as in The new CEO tried to get away with cleaning out all employees over the age of 60. [Mid-1800s]