v. Also: 4–5 clare-, 5 clery-, 5–6 clary-. [a. OF. clarifier (12th c.), clarefier, clerefier (the last two partially popularized), ad. late L. clārificāre to make clear, f. clārus clear + -ficāre: see -FY.] To make clear, to clear.
† 1. trans. To free from darkness or gloom; to light up, illumine; to brighten. Obs.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVI. lxx. (Tollem. MS.). Pouder þerof confecte in hony clarefyeþ and hyȝteþ þe face [ed. 1495 claryfyeth and maketh the face fayr].
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas (1554). As Phebus … the day doth clarefie.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, IV. (Arb.), 94. Phœbus dyd clarifye brightlye Thee world with luster.
1597. Greene, Alphonsus (1861), 234. Thou second sun … Dost clarify each corner of the earth.
1696. Whiston, The. Earth, IV. (1722), 332. The Light had been … Clarifying this dark and thick Atmosphere for more than five compleat Years.
b. fig. To make clear (an obscure subject).
1823. Monthly Rev., C. 529. The subject is so little exhausted, and the learning of M. Champollion is so well adapted to clarify its obscurity, that [etc.].
1841. Myers, Cath. Th., III. § 13. 50. It cannot but greatly simplify and clarify the subject.
1865. Mill, Hamilton’s Philos., 522. Mathematical and scientific studies, which his subsequent metaphysical pursuits enabled him … to clarify and reduce to principles.
† 2. fig. To make illustrious or glorious; to exalt, glorify. [Chiefly repr. clārificāre of the Vulgate.]
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xix. 1. Day of anguys in the whilke þou sayd fadere clarifie þi sun.
1382. Wyclif, John xii. 27–8. Fadir, clarifie thi name … I haue clarified, and eft I schal clarifie. Ibid., 1 Esdras viii. 25. Blessid be the Lord God of oure fadris, that ȝaf this wil in to the herte of the king, to clarifien his hous, that is in Jerusalem.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 27/2. Whan Jhesu cryst was baptysed and also whan he was clarefyed.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., I. viii. 113. It was necessary his person should be … so clarified by great concurrencies … as might gain credit to the testimony he was to give.
3. To make pure and clear, or clean (physically, also morally); to free from all impurities; to clear.
c. 1430. Hymns Virg. (1867), 40. It clarifieþ þi soule.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 442/3. Lord I praye the that the … precious blood that I haue taken … wyl in suche manere clarefye that none ordure or fylthe … may remayne or abyde wythin me.
1531. Elyot, Gov., I. i. (1883), I. 6. The fire, whiche is most pure of elementes … doth clarifie the other inferiour elementes.
1589. Nashe, Anat. Absurditie, 13. The water is cleane, and of nature fitte to clarifie euerie part of the body.
1652. [F. Osborne], A Perswasive to Compliance, 37. If the possession of the Crowne … expunge the grossest spots yet found in any that wore it; may it not as well clarifie a Republick from any imputation…?
1683. Pettus, Fleta Min., I. (1686), 162. It [nitre] is first to be clarified and purified from its salt.
1793. Wolcott (P. Pindar), Ep. Pope, Wks. 1812, III. 206. Heaven wants not fire to clarify the dead.
b. spec. To make clear and pure (a liquid or liquefied substance); to render pellucid; to free from all impurities or extraneous matters held in suspension; to defecate or fine. Also fig.
c. 1430. 15th C. Cookery Bks., 35. Take fayre Honey, and clarifi yt on þe fyre tylle it wexe hard.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 433. Poured out of one vessell into another, and so by setling clarified from the grounds.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., II. xviii. 116. Their Yeomen are excluded from ever rising higher to clarifie their bloode.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., I. 74. Tincture of Brasil wood … in luke-warm water, filter it, and clarifie it.
1712. trans. Pomet’s Hist. Drugs, I. 141. Strain, clarifie with the White of an Egg, and thicken.
1769. Mrs. Raffald, Eng. Housekpr. (1778), 49. To clarify butter.
1843. J. A. Smith, Product. Farming (ed. 2), 35. A substitute for the white of eggs in clarifying the juice of the sugar-cane.
c. To clear (the air or atmosphere); to free from mists and vapors. Also fig. and transf.
1620. Venner, Via Recta, Introd. 5. The sunne … doth excellently clarifie, and purge the aire of them.
1876. Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., VIII. lviii. 532. The occasional rare sound of hoofs and wheels seeming to clarify the succeeding silence.
1879. McCarthy, Own Times, I. 16. The country was in general disposed to think that the accession of a woman to the throne would somewhat clarify and purify the atmosphere of the Court.
1884. Chr. World, 10 April, 268/5. Mr. Gladstone’s speech … and the decisive vote that followed, have wonderfully clarified the political atmosphere.
d. fig. To clear (the mind, etc.) from ignorance, misconception, or error; to rectify.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., 110 (T.). Many boyes are muddy-headed till they be clarified with age, and such afterwards prove the best.
1659. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), III. 108. Hope that God … will at last compassionate our infirmities, clarify our judgments.
1776. Johnson, in Boswell, April, 26. He never clarified his notions, by filtrating them through other minds.
1851. Robertson, Serm., Ser. II. viii. (1864), 109. A pure life will clarify the intellect.
1869. Lecky, Europ. Mor., I. ii. 342. By these means he endeavoured to clarify the popular creed.
4. To make clear (the sight, eyes, or mental vision); to clear (the voice, etc.).
c. 1525. Skelton, Bk. 3 Foles, 27. Claryfye here your syghte.
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 12. To clarifie ye voice, and to helpe them that be hoarse.
1585. Lloyd, Treas. Health, C viij. Oyle of Cartamus … of sisami, do clarifie the voice.
1631. Quarles, Div. Poems, Samson (1717), 275. Lord, clarifie mine eyes, that I may know Things that are good.
a. 1853. Robertson, Lect. (1858), 208. A man’s eyes … clarified by the power which enables him to look beyond the visible.
† 5. To set forth clearly, declare. Obs.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 617. To claryfy þe powere of Goddus myȝt.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., 67. A word to you I wold cleryfy. Ibid., 300. From heven tille erthe thou me sent Thi name to preche and claryfy.
6. intr. (for refl.) To be made or become clear; to clear, in various senses.
1599. A. M., trans. Gabelhouer’s Bk. Physicke, 158/1. Let this stande a whole night because it might settle, and clarify.
1625. Bacon, Ess., Friendship (Arb.), 175. His Wits and Vnderstanding doe clarifie and breake vp, in … discoursing with Another.
1753. Hanway, Trav. (1762), I. IV. lvii. 265. Springs of hot water … very thick … but it soon clarifies.
1838. T. Thomson, Chem. Org. Bodies, 625. The heat is then withdrawn, and the liquid left to clarify.
1870. Lowell, Study Wind. (1886), 142. Emerson … has clarified steadily towards perfection of style.
