clean up
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clean
(klēn)adj. clean·er, clean·est
1. Free from dirt, stain, or impurities; unsoiled: a clean kitchen floor; clean clothes.
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.
Phrasal Verbs: To undergo or perform an act of cleaning.
clean out
1. 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 up
Idiom: 1. 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.
clean house Slang
To eliminate or discard what is undesirable: The scandal forced the company to clean house.
[Middle English clene, from Old English clǣne.]
clean′a·ble adj.
clean′ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
clean up
vb (adverb)
1. to rid (something) of dirt, filth, or other impurities
2. to make (someone or something) orderly or presentable
3. (tr) to rid (a place) of undesirable people or conditions: the campaign against vice had cleaned up the city.
4. (intr) informal to make a great profit
n
5.
a. the process of cleaning up or eliminating something
b. (as modifier): a cleanup campaign.
6. informal chiefly US a great profit
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Verb | 1. | clean up - put (things or places) in order; "Tidy up your room!" order - bring order to or into; "Order these files" |
2. | clean up - make a big profit; often in a short period of time; "The investor really cleaned up when the stock market went up" turn a profit, profit - make a profit; gain money or materially; "The company has not profited from the merger" | |
3. | clean up - dispose of; "settle the bills" settle - dispose of; make a financial settlement | |
4. | clean up - make oneself clean, presentable or neat; "Clean up before you go to the party" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
clean
adjective1. Free from dirt, stain, or impurities:
4. Free from evil and corruption:
angelic, angelical, innocent, lily-white, pure, sinless, unblemished, uncorrupted, undefiled, unstained, unsullied, untainted, virginal.
Idiom: pure as the driven snow.
6. According to the rules:
7. Slang. Free from guilt or blame:
Idiom: in the clear.
Informal. To the fullest extent:
absolutely, all, altogether, completely, dead, entirely, flat, fully, just, perfectly, quite, thoroughly, totally, utterly, well, wholly.
Informal: clear.
Idioms: in toto, through and through.
1. To make or keep (an area) clean and orderly.Also used with up:
2. To make neat and trim; make presentable.Also used with up:
clean out
phrasal verb
clean up
Slang. To make a large profit:
Idiom: make a killing.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
clean
(kliːn) adjective2. neat and tidy in one's habits. Cats are very clean animals.limpio
5. neat and even. a clean cut. neto, bien definido; preciso
adverb completely. He got clean away.por completo
verb to (cause to) become free from dirt etc. Will you clean the windows?limpiar
ˈcleaner nounˈcleanly adverbThe knife cut cleanly through the cheese.limpiamente
cleanly (ˈklenli) adjective clean in personal habits. limpio
ˈcleanliness (ˈklen-) nounclean up to clean (a place) thoroughly. She cleaned (the room) up after they went home.limpiar
a clean bill of health a certificate saying that a person, the crew of ship etc is entirely healthy (especially after being ill). I've been off work but I've got a clean bill of health now. certificado que demuestra el perfecto estado de salud del interesado
a clean slate a fresh start. After being in prison he started his new job with a clean slate. tener un historial sin mancha
come clean to tell the truth about something, often about something about which one has previously lied. confesar algo
make a clean sweep to get rid of everything unnecessary or unwanted. The new manager made a clean sweep of all the lazy people in the department. hacer tabla rasa
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.