from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Clean \Clean\ (kl[=e]n), a. [Compar. {Cleaner} (kl[=e]n"[~e]r);
superl. {Cleanest}.] [OE. clene, AS. cl[=ae]ne; akin to OHG.
chleini pure, neat, graceful, small, G. klein small, and
perh. to W. glan clean, pure, bright; all perh. from a
primitive, meaning bright, shining. Cf. {Glair}.]
1. Free from dirt or filth; as, clean clothes.
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2. Free from that which is useless or injurious; without
defects; as, clean land; clean timber.
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3. Free from awkwardness; not bungling; adroit; dexterous;
as, a clean trick; a clean leap over a fence.
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4. Free from errors and vulgarisms; as, a clean style.
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5. Free from restraint or neglect; complete; entire.
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When ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt
not make clean riddance of corners of thy field.
--Lev. xxiii.
22.
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6. Free from moral defilement; sinless; pure.
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Create in me a clean heart, O God. --Ps. li. 10
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That I am whole, and clean, and meet for Heaven
--Tennyson.
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7. (Script.) Free from ceremonial defilement.
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8. Free from that which is corrupting to the morals; pure in
tone; healthy. "Lothair is clean." --F. Harrison.
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9. Well-proportioned; shapely; as, clean limbs.
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{A clean bill of health}, a certificate from the proper
authority that a ship is free from infection.
{Clean breach}. See under {Breach}, n., 4.
{To make a clean breast}. See under {Breast}.
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