cleanable

clean ► ADJECTIVE 1) free from dirt, pollutants, or harmful substances. 2) morally pure: clean living. 3) not obscene. 4) attentive to personal hygiene. 5) showing or having no record of offences or crimes: a clean driving licence. 6) played or done according to the rules: a good clean fight. 7) free from irregularities; smooth: a clean fracture. 8) (of an action) smoothly and skilfully done.

► ADVERB 1) so as to be free from dirt. 2) informal completely.

► VERB 1) make clean. 2) (clean out) informal use up or take (all someone's money or resources). 3) (clean out) steal the entire contents of (a place). 4) (clean up) informal make a substantial gain or profit.

► NOUN chiefly Brit. ▪ an act of cleaning.

● a clean sheet (or slate) — Cf. ↑a clean slate

● come clean — Cf. ↑come clean

● keep one's hands clean — Cf. ↑keep one's hands clean

● make a clean breast of it — Cf. ↑make a clean breast of it

● make a clean sweep — Cf. ↑make a clean sweep

DERIVATIVES cleanable adjective cleanness noun .

ORIGIN Old English.