Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - clean

~1 adj 1 »WITHOUT DIRT« without any dirt or marks  (Are your hands clean? | a clean towel | sweep/scrub etc sth clean)  (Wipe that sink clean when you're done. | clean and tidy/neat)  (Try to keep your room clean and tidy. | spotlessly clean (=very clean))  (a spotlessly clean kitchen) 2 »HABITS/APPEARANCE« behaving in a way that keeps things clean or having a clean appearance  (Cats are wonderfully clean creatures.) 3 »AIR/WATER« containing nothing that is dirty or harmful, such as poisons  (Smell that clean air!) 4 »FAIR/LEGAL« a) done in a fair or legal way  (a clean fight) b) showing that you have followed the rules or the law  (a clean driving licence | Well, she has a clean record. (=she is not a criminal)) 5 »JOKES/HUMOUR« not offensive or not dealing with sex  (good, clean fun)  (Oh, don't get mad - it was just good, clean fun! | keep it clean (=used to tell someone not to do or say anything morally offensive) | clean living (=a way of life in which you do not drink, take drugs, or behave in an immoral way)) 6 make a clean breast of it to admit that you have done something wrong so that you no longer feel guilty 7 a clean break a) a quick sudden separation from a person, organization, place etc  (Den left the next day, needing to make a clean break.) b) a break in a bone or other object that is complete and has not left any small pieces 8 »SMOOTH« having a smooth or regular edge or surface  (a clean cut) 9 come clean informal to finally tell the truth or admit that you have done something wrong + abou  (It's time you came clean about your affair.) 10 a clean sheet/slate a situation that shows that someone has behaved well or not made any mistakes  (Jed looked forward to starting life again with a clean sheet.) 11 a clean bill of health a report that says you are healthy or that a machine or building is safe  (Inspectors gave the factory a clean bill of health.) 12 a clean sweep a) a complete change in a company or organization, made by getting rid of people b) a victory in all parts of a game or competition, especially by winning the first three places  (The 200m race was a clean sweep for France.) 13 »PAPER« a piece of paper that is clean has not yet been used 14 a clean copy a piece of writing that contains no mistakes 15 »WITHOUT WEAPONS/DRUGS« slang not having any hidden weapons or illegal drugs  (They searched him at the airport, but he was clean.) 16 »NOT HAVING DRUGS« no longer taking illegal drugs  (Dave's been clean for two years now.) 17 »POWER/ENERGY« producing energy or power without causing pollution  (clean energy (=energy that is produced safely)) 18 »MOVEMENT« a clean movement in sport is skilful and exact 19 as clean as a new pin BrE as clean as a whistle very clean  (- see also cleanly, clean-cut, keep your nose clean nose1 (13)) - cleanness n ~2 v 1 to remove dirt from something by rubbing or washing  (Your shoes need cleaning.)  (- see also dry-clean, spring-clean) 2 to clean a building or other people's houses as your job  (Anne comes in to clean twice a week.) 3 to cut out the inside parts of an animal or bird that you are going to cook 4 clean your plate to eat all your food clean sb/sth out phr v 1 (clean something out) to make the inside of a room, house etc clean or tidy  (We'd better clean out the attic this week.) 2 (clean someone/something out) informal to steal everything from a place or all someone's possessions  (Burglars completely cleaned the place out.) 3 (clean someone out) informal if something expensive cleans someone out, they spend all their money on it so that they have none left  (The Paris trip cleaned us out.) clean up phr v 1 to make something completely clean and tidy  (We spent all Saturday morning cleaning up. | a plan to clean up the bay) 2 to wash yourself after you have got very dirty  (clean sb/yourself up)  (Let me just go clean myself up. | get cleaned up)  (Dad's upstairs getting cleaned up.) 3 clean up your act informal to start behaving in a responsible way  (If you don't clean up your act I'll kick you out.) 4 informal to win a lot of money or make a lot of money in a business deal  (We really cleaned up at the races today!) 5 T clean something up) to improve moral standards in a place or organization  (It's high time British soccer cleaned up its image.)  (- see also clean-up) ~3 adv informal used to emphasize the fact that an action or movement takes place completely and thoroughly  (clean away/through/past)  (The robbers got clean away. | The knife went clean through his finger. | clean forget (=forget completely))  (Sorry, I clean forgot your birthday.) ~4 n a process in which you clean something  (The car needs a good clean.)