adjective / verb
clean
KLEEN/kliːn/
Free from unwanted dirt or contamination.
The glass plate is perfectly clean, without a spot or smear.
Etymology
Old English clæne covered both freedom from dirt and freedom from foreign matter. The modern sense preserves that breadth: something clean lacks not only grime but also unwanted material mixed into it.
In context
do you treat a road rash abrasion? Let's break it down step by step. First, the most important thing is to clean the wound. Start by rinsing the abrasion with clean water.
More examples
- The app's clean layout makes it easy to complete a clean transfer of the files.
- The comedian has a clean record and keeps his jokes clean for family audiences.
- He has been clean for six months since stopping his drug use.
- The guard checks the visitor's bag and finds that she is clean, carrying nothing prohibited.
Forms
clean · cleans · cleaned · cleaning · cleaner · cleanest
Similar words
- wash
- Specifically removes dirt using water or another liquid.
- spotless
- Spotless suggests complete absence of dirt or visible marks.