<p><strong>adjective</strong></p><ul><li>free from dirt; unsoiled; unstained: She bathed and put on a clean dress.</li><li>free from foreign or extraneous matter: They filled the new sandbox with clean sand.</li><li>free from pollution; unadulterated; pure: clean air; clean water.</li><li>habitually free of dirt: Cats are considered clean animals.</li><li>characterized by a fresh, wholesome quality: the clean smell of pine.</li><li>free from all writing or marking: a clean sheet of paper.</li><li>having few or no corrections; easily readable: The publisher demanded clean proofs from the printer.</li><li>free from roughness or irregularity: He made a clean cut with a razor.</li><li>not ornate; gracefully spare; forceful and simple; trim; streamlined: a clean literary style; the clean lines of a ship.</li><li>complete; unqualified: She made a clean break from her old habits.</li><li>morally upright; honorable: to lead a clean life.</li><li>showing good sportsmanship; fair: a clean fighter.</li><li>inoffensive in language or content; without obscenity: Is this a clean movie?</li><li>(of a document, record, etc.) bearing no marks of discreditable or unlawful conduct; listing no offenses: a clean driver's license.</li><li>Informal: innocent of any crime; not having a criminal record.</li><li>carrying or containing no evidence of unlawful activity or intent, such as controlled substances, unlicensed weapons, or contraband: The agents searched the car for drugs, but it was clean.</li><li>(of a nuclear weapon) producing little or no radioactive fallout; not radioactive.</li><li>(of a document or financial instrument) free from qualifications or restrictions: a clean bill of lading.</li><li>free from defects or flaws: a clean diamond.</li><li>free of synthetic additives, unfamiliar ingredients, excessive amounts of sugar, salt, fat, etc.; not overly processed or refined: We sell only clean ice cream and confections in our cafe.</li><li>neatly or evenly made or proportioned; shapely; trim: a clean profile.</li><li>done without any difficulty or interference: The bank robbers made a clean getaway.</li><li>dexterously performed; adroit: a clean serve in tennis.</li><li>(of a jump over an obstacle) made without touching the obstacle.</li><li>Slang: having no direct associations, business interests, etc., that could prejudice one's official acts or decisions: The new governor is clean because he's sold his construction business and doesn't owe political favors to anyone.</li><li>Slang: without money or funds.</li><li>(of wine) having a taste that is unusually refreshing and smooth.</li><li>having no physical or moral blemish or carrying no taboo according to religious laws, especially dietary or ceremonial laws: The horse was not a clean animal for the Israelites, and could not be eaten.</li><li>Nautical: (of an anchorage, harbor, etc.) free of obstructions or hazards.</li><li>(of the legs of a horse) free from injury or blemish, as capped hocks, splints, or scars.</li><li>Foreign Exchange: (of currency floats) not influenced by exchange-rate manipulation.</li></ul><p><strong>adverb</strong></p><ul><li>in a way that is not dirty, messy, unwholesome, overly complicated, etc.: With practice I’ve learned to write clean and crisp, without flashy ornamentation.</li><li>so as to be free of dirt or stains: This shirt will never wash clean.</li><li>Informal: wholly; completely; quite: The sharp carving knife sliced clean through the roast.</li></ul><p><strong>verb</strong></p><ul><li>(used with object) to make free of dirt, stains, mess, trash, etc.: Clean those dirty shoes.</li><li>to remove or consume the contents of; empty; clear: She sat down to dinner ravenous and within five minutes had cleaned her plate.</li><li>to dry-clean.</li><li>to remove the inedible parts from (poultry, fish, vegetables, fruit, etc.): He caught the trout, cleaned it, and grilled it—all in 20 minutes.</li><li>Metallurgy: to remove the seams from (a casting) by filing or grinding.</li><li>Philately: to intentionally delete the cancellation from (a postage or revenue stamp).</li></ul><p><strong>verb</strong></p><ul><li>(used without object) to perform or undergo a process of cleaning: This kind of fabric cleans easily.</li><li>to get rid of dirt, soil, etc. (often followed by up): to spend the morning cleaning.</li><li>verb phrase: to empty in order to straighten or clean: I cleaned out my desk drawers and threw away a lot of junk.</li><li>to use up; exhaust: He had cleaned out his savings.</li><li>Informal: to drive out by force.</li><li>to empty or rid (a place) of occupants, contents, etc.: Eager customers cleaned out the store on the first day of the sale.</li><li>Slang: to cause to lose all or almost all one's money or possessions: Gambling eventually cleaned her out.</li><li>to wash or tidy up: They came in from the barn and cleaned up for dinner.</li><li>to rid of undesirable persons or features: They cleaned up the local bars.</li><li>Informal: to make a large profit: They cleaned up in the stock market.</li></ul>