cleaning

cleaning
    n 1: the act of making something clean; "he gave his shoes a
         good cleaning" [syn: {cleaning}, {cleansing}, {cleanup}]
    

Cleaning \Clean"ing\, n.
   1. The act of making clean.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The afterbirth of cows, ewes, etc. --Gardner.
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Clean \Clean\ (kl[=e]n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Cleaned}
   (kl[=e]nd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Cleaning}.] [See {Clean}, a.,
   and cf. {Cleanse}.]
   To render clean; to free from whatever is foul, offensive, or
   extraneous; to purify; to cleanse.
   [1913 Webster]

   {To clean out}, to exhaust; to empty; to get away from (one)
      all his money. [Colloq.] --De Quincey.
      [1913 Webster]
    

62 Moby Thesaurus words for "cleaning":
      abstergent, abstersion, autoclave, bowdlerization, broom, brush,
      carpet sweeper, catharsis, cathartic, cleansing, comb, currycomb,
      depurative, detergent, detersion, dishcloth, dishwasher, diuretic,
      doormat, dry cleaning, duster, dustpan, emetic, expurgation,
      expurgatory, facecloth, hackle, hairbrush, handkerchief, holystone,
      hose, lustral, lustration, mop, napkin, pumice stone, purgation,
      purgative, purge, purging, purification, purificatory, purifying,
      rake, scraper, scrub brush, scrubber, serviette, sponge,
      steam cleaning, sudarium, swab, toothbrush, toothpick, towel,
      vacuum cleaner, washboard, washer, washing machine, whisk, wisp,
      wringer