Clean a.

Forms: 1 clǽne, (1, 3–4 cláne 2 clone), 1–6 clene, 2–7 cleane, (4–6 cleyn(e), 4–7 cleen(e, (5 clen, kleane, klene, 5, 7 clayne), 6– clean. [Common Teut.: OE. clǽne:—preh. *cláni-:—WGer. *klaini: cf. OSax. clêni, cleini, OFris. clêne, cleine, MDu. MLG. cleine, clêne, LG. and Du. kleén, klein, OHG. chleini clear, pure, clean, neat, delicate, fine, tiny, small, puny, MHG. klein(e, mod.G. klein small, little; also Icel. klénn snug, little, puny, Sw. klen thin, slight, weak, Da. klein, weak. The original sense was ‘clear, pure’; OHG. shows how this passed into the mod.G. sense ‘little’; the orig. sense is more nearly retained in Eng., where, however, it has been encroached upon by the Romanic clear and pure.

  The final -n, -ni, is suffixal; the stem klai- is by some referred to the vb.-stem klî-, klai, kli- ‘to stick,’ with the suggested connection of sense that sticky things, such as oil, give a clear surface, or ‘make the face to shine.’ Cf. also the ancient practice of anointing, with its associations.

  The early variants cláne, clone, are app. due to a mixture of the orig. adj. clǽne with the orig. adv. cláne: cf. SOFT.]

  I.  † 1. Clear. a. Free from anything that dims luster or transparency. Obs.

  (In later use passing into 2.)

c. 1040.  in Sax. Leechd., II. 296. Þæt eal se lichoma sy clanes hiwes.

a. 1123.  O. E. Chron., an. 110. Ealle þa niht wæs seo lyft swiðe clene.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVI. xcix. (1495), 588. Glasse is clene and pure and specyally bryghte and clere.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., I. vii. 33. All of Diamond perfect pure and cleene.

1670.  Cotton, Espernon, II. VIII. 366. A Diamond … reputed one of the finest and cleanest for its size in France.

1708.  Lond. Gaz., No. 4499/4. One other rough Stone … Christaline, White and Clean.

  † b.  fig.

c. 1000.  Ags. Ps. lxii. 9 [lxiii. 11]. Kynincʓ sceal on Drihtne clæne blisse, hluttre habban.

  † c.  Clear in sound or tone. Obs.

a. 1000.  Elene, 750 (Gr.). Þas word cweðað clænum stefnum, þam is Ceraphin nama.

  † d.  Clear of all encumbrance or restrictions.

a. 1300.  Charter of Eadweard (dated a. 1067), in Cod. Dipl., IV. 199. Ælfrid hauet yseld Gise biscop his land … sacleas and clæne.

  II.  Pure, undefiled, unsullied.

  2.  Free from any defiling or deteriorating ingredient; unmixed with foreign matter, pure, unadulterated. Now commonly expressed by pure, except when the contaminating ingredient is ‘dirt’; as in ‘pure’ or ‘clean water.’ As applied to metals, there may originally have been connection with the prec. notion of ‘clear,’ ‘undimmed.’

883.  Cod. Dipl., II. 111. Ðæt land ic selle Cynulfe for syxtiʓum mancesa clænes goldes.

a. 1000.  Edgar’s Canons, § 39, in Thorpe, Laws, II. 252 (Bosw.). Clæne oflete, and clæne win, and clæne wæter.

1297.  R. Glouc. (1724), 435. Hyr maydenes brouȝte hyre clene water.

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. VII. 292. Bred … of clene whete.

1382.  Wyclif, Rev. xxi. 18. The citee it silf was of cleene gold, lijk to cleene glas.

c. 1440.  Gesta Rom., lxiv. 276 (Harl. MS.). I am an infant at þe pappis, and live with clene melke.

1463.  Bury Wills (1850), 17. A torche of clene vexe [wax].

1519.  Horman, Vulg., in Promp. Parv., 80. Of clene syluer, argento puro.

1584.  [J. Partridge], Treas. Hid. Secrets, E v b. A little cleane wine.

1635.  R. N., Camden’s Hist. Eliz., I. 35. Good money of cleane silver.

1794.  Rigging & Seamanship, 59. Half-clean hemp is very foul, and full of shivers.

1872.  R. B. Smyth, Mining Statist., 26. A seam of good clean coal.

1883.  Cassell’s Fam. Mag., Aug., 528/1. The beans [are] then put through a winnower … and it is then called ‘clean coffee.’

  b.  Of arable land: free from weeds, creeping roots, and the like, prejudicial to husbandry.

  3.  Free from dirt or filth; unsoiled or unstained: the proper opposite of dirty or foul. Now the ordinary sense.

c. 897.  K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past., xxxix. 283. Ðonne bið ðæt hus clæne.

1297.  R. Glouc. (1724), 435. And wesse her fet al clene.

c. 1394.  P. Pl. Crede, 689. Þei ben cloþed in cloþ þat clennest scheweþ.

a. 1550.  Christis Kirke Gr., i. Thair came our kitties, washen clene.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 378. Their harnesse was so cleane and bright.

1590.  Shaks., Mids. N., IV. ii. 41. Let Thisby haue cleane linnen. Ibid. (1607), Cor., II. iii. 68. Bid them wash their Faces, And keepe their teeth cleane.

1611.  Bible, Job ix. 30. If I wash my selfe with snow water, and make my handes neuer so cleane.

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe (1840), I. xviii. 328. Six clean … shirts.

1832.  Marryat, N. Forster, xxxvi. What sailors call ‘clean shirt days’—Sundays and Thursdays.

1856.  Emerson, Eng. Traits, Manners, Wks. (Bohn), II. 48. A Frenchman may possibly be clean; an Englishman is conscientiously clean.

1887.  ‘Mabel Wetheral,’ Two North-Country Maids, xxv. 174. I was real put out to think how it would be taking all the starch out of her pretty buff cotton gown, which was clean on that morning.

1888.  Times, 10 Oct., 5/5. [A bloodhound] trained from a puppy to hunt ‘the clean shoe,’ that is to say, follow the trail of a man whose shoes have not been prepared in any way by the application of blood or aniseed.

  b.  in various specific senses; Of ships: Having the bottom free from barnacles, etc. Of whaling or fishing vessels: With no fish or oil aboard, empty; also said colloq. of an angler’s basket.

1666.  Lond. Gaz., No. 58/3. In their return they gave Chace to a Caper … but the Caper being clean, escaped them.

1690.  Luttrell, Brief Rel. . (1857), II. 63. Their ships being cleaner then his, so outsail’d him.

1720.  De Foe, Capt. Singleton, x. (1840), 181. As we were a clean ship, we gained upon her.

1820.  W. Scoresby, Arctic Reg., II. 298. No other opportunity of procuring a whale occurred during the voyage. The ship returned home clean.

1840.  Marryat, Poor Jack, vi. We had a clean hold … for we had but just come to our fishing-ground.

  c.  Of paper: Not written on, blank. Of printers’ proofs: Free from corrections or alterations. Of a copy of writing, etc.: Free from corrections, fair.

a. 1674.  Clarendon, Hist. Reb., XIV. (1843), 827/2. A clean piece of paper, sealed with three impressions of an antique head.

Mod.  Make a clean copy of this sheet. The proofs as returned to press were almost clean.

  d.  Phrases (fig.): Clean Bill of Health: see BILL sb.³ 10. To have clean hands, to keep the hands clean: to be innocent of wrong-doing. To keep a clean tongue: to abstain from offensive or foul talk. To make a clean breast: see BREAST 5 c. To show a clean pair of heels: to escape by superior speed.

1600.  Abp. Abbot, Exp. Jonah, 388. From which I would that our countreymen at last would keepe their hands cleane.

1828.  Scott, F. M. Perth, iv. Harry Smith had best show a clean pair of heels for it.

1830.  Gen. P. Thompson, Exerc. (1842), I. 325. Let them keep a clean tongue on the subject of republicanism.

1838.  Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., I. 96. I would have … made a clean breast of all my thinkings and doings.

1854.  G. B. Richardson, Univ. Code, v. 963. Have you a clean bill of health?

1876.  Green, Short Hist., x. § 2. 766. It was true that the hands of the Governor-General were clean.

1881.  Besant & Rice, Chapl. of Fleet, I. xii. (1883), 93. Your husband … will show them a clean pair of heels off the Nore.

1884.  T. Holmes Gore, in Law Times, 8 Nov., 29/1. He did not go into court with clean hands.

  4.  Void of spiritual or moral stain or pollution (or what is so considered); pure; undefiled, chaste, innocent. Const. † of, from.

971.  Blickl. Hom., 13. Eadiʓe beoþ þa clænan heortan, forþon þe hie God ʓeseoð.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Deut. xxiii. 22. Þu byst clæne [absque peccato eris].

a. 1240.  Ureisun, in Cott. Hom., 193. Hore lif cleane urom alle queadschipe. Ibid., 195. Moder … and meiden cleane of alle laste.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1468. Goddesse of clene chastitee. Ibid., Wife’s T., 88. We wol been holden wise and clene of synne.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 399. Conyng in the clene artis.

c. 1430.  Life St. Kath. (1884), 15. An heuenly kynge þe whiche was bore of a clene virgyn.

1547–8.  Bk. Com. Pr., Commun. Prayer, Our synfull bodies, maie bee made clene by his body.

1611.  Bible, Ps. li. 10. Create in mee a cleane heart, O God.

1842.  Tennyson, St. Simeon Styl., 210. I trust That I am whole, and clean, and meet for Heaven.

1868.  Freeman, Norm. Conq., II. vii. 161. A man of good and clean life.

  † b.  Guiltless of a charge or accusation; innocent. Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 4918. Ha ha, traiturs, now wel is sene Queþer þat yee be fule or clene.

1560.  Rolland, Crt. Venus, II. 646. Gif he was clene, thair schaw his Innocence.

1609.  Skene, Reg. Maj. Acts Robt. I., 33. Gif he be made quit, and cleane: all his gudes salbe restored to him.

  5.  Free from ceremonial defilement, according to the Mosaic Law, and similar codes.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Luke xi. 41. Þonne beoð eow ealle þing clæne.

1382.  Wyclif, Numb. xix. 18. In the which whanne a clene man wetith ysoop, he shal sprenge of it the tente.

1609.  Bible (Douay), Numb. xviii. 9. A man that is cleane shal gather the ashes of the cow. Ibid. (1611), Lev. vii. 19. As for the flesh, all that be cleane shall eate thereof. Ibid., xi. 37. If any part of their carkasse fall vpon any sowing seed which is to be sowen, it shalbe cleane.

  b.  Of beasts: Not defiling, fit to be used for food. Akin to this is the modern use, opposed to ‘foul’ as applied to fish at and immediately after spawning.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Gen. vii. 2. Nim into þe of eallum clænum nitenum seofen & seofen.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 626. Sacrede he ðor-on, for fowles frame Ilc seuende der of clene kin.

1611.  Bible, Deut. xiv. 11. Of all cleane birds ye shall eate.

1870.  Pennell, Mod. Pract. Angler, 147. Clean … Salmon fit to eat: neither just going to spawn, nor just after spawning.

1885.  Black, White Heather, iii. ‘Well, now, is this one all right?’ ‘A clean fish, sir,’ was the confident answer.

  c.  Free from the pollution of leprosy or other contagious disease.

1382.  Wyclif, Matt. viii. 2. Lord, ȝif thou wolt, thou maist make me clene.

1611.  Bible, 2 Kings v. 10. Goe and wash in Iordane seuen times … and thou shalt be cleane.

  † d.  Gelded. Obs.

1641.  Best, Farm. Bks. (1856), 1. A cleane weather is such a one as hayth had both his stones taken away.

  6.  Clean in habit: usually of beasts; CLEANLY.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 575. He abhorred her company, as a cleane creature doth a caryon.

1683.  Tryon, Way to Health, 381. Beasts that are called Clean, are such as do refuse all kind of unclean Food.

Mod.  The squirrel is a clean animal.

  † 7.  Of style or language: Free from faults, correct, pure, ‘chaste,’ elegant. Obs. or arch.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 77. Gydo … declaret it more clere & on clene wise.

1528.  Tyball’s Conf., in Strype, Eccl. Mem., I. App. xvii. 38. The new printed Testament in Englishe … is of more cleyner Englishe.

1531.  Elyot, Gov., I. xiv. (1883), I. 142. A more clene and elegant stile.

1581.  J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 260 b. The cleane and pure elegancy of Cicero.

1705.  Hearne, Collect., 28 Nov. (Oxf. Hist. Soc.), I. 105. The Book is written in a clean stile.

1713.  Note, in Burton’s Diary (1828), III. 16. He had free conversation, in clean Latin, with the foreign envoys.

1854.  Emerson, Lett. & Soc. Aims, Poet. & Imag., Wks. (Bohn), III. 158. Writing clean verses for magazines.

  † 8.  Net. Obs.

1381.  in Eng. Gilds (1870), 46. He shal haue of þe clene katel of þe Gild xx messes songyn for his soule.

  III.  Fair, fine, comely, neat, clever.

  (The sense development is here uncertain: cf. F. propre.)

  † 9.  (?) Fair, fine, ‘proper.’ An epithet of admiration or commendation, the force of which it is in many instances difficult to ascertain.

c. 1340.  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 163. Blyþe stones … richely rayled in his aray clene.

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 1124. Al þe clene cumpanye com to þe place. Ibid., 1609. Wiþ þe clennest cumpanye þat euer king ladde.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, XI. 141. So gret, so gud men, and so cleyne. Ibid., XI. 427. The kyng left, with ane clene menȝhe.

a. 1440.  Sir Eglam., 452. He hath slayne syxty on a day, Welle armyd men and clene.

1581.  W. Stafford, Exam. Compl., i. 19. He was wonte to keepe halfe a score of cleane men in his house.

  10.  Neatly made, well-fashioned; not unwieldy; trim, shapely, comely. Cf. clean-limbed, etc.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Wife’s Prol., 598. He hadde a paire Of legges and of feet so clene and faire.

c. 1430.  Syr Gener., 508. The king was of making so clene, That to love him she must nede.

1645.  Waller, Poet. Wks., 74 (J.). Thy waist is streight and clean, As Cupids shaft.

1688.  Lond. Gaz., No. 2379/4. Lost … a Coach-Gelding … clean of all his Limbs.

1836.  Sir G. Stephen, Adv. Search Horse, iii. (1841), 52. The hocks and legs … have that character which the jockies describe as ‘clean.’

  b.  Ship-building. Built on fine tapering lines.

1709.  Lond. Gaz., No. 4510/7. The Hoy Burthen 9 or 10 Tun, very full built forward, with a clean Tail.

c. 1850.  Rudim. Navig. (Weale), 107. Clean, a term generally used to express the acuteness or sharpness of a ship’s body.

  11.  Sharp (of wit), clever, smart, skilful, adroit, dexterous; neat and finished in action. (So OHG. chleini ‘sagax, versutus, argutus.’)

  (The first two quotations may belong to 9.)

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 1496. The secund of þe suster … Cassandra was cald, clennest of wytte.

1485.  Caxton, Paris & V., 2. He held hym self ryghte clene in armes.

1598.  F. Meres, in Shaks. Cent. Praise, 24. When cheating and craftines is counted the cleanest wit.

1623.  Massinger, Bondman, V. iii. I’ll cut as clean a caper from the ladder As ever merry Greek did.

1655.  Fuller, Ch. Hist., I. v. § 29. A clean Conceit, and as full of Wit as Devotion.

a. 1704.  T. Brown, Praise Poverty, Wks. 1730, I. 93. The legerdeman must be clean.

1857.  J. G. Holland, Bay Path, xxvi. 332. Yes, Sir! that was a clean thing.

1884.  Lillywhite’s Cricket Annual, 110. A good bat and sharp clean field.

  IV.  Clear of obstructions, or unevenness.

  12.  Unencumbered by anything standing or lying in the way; clear, bare, void. Of anchorage ground: Free from rocks, and the like; opposed to ‘foul.’ Of timber: Free from knots.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, XIII. 443. The feld so cleyn wes maid Of yngliss men, that nane abad.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Frankl. T., 267. Whan ye han maad the coost so clene Of Rokkes that ther nys no stoon ysene.

1626.  Bacon, Sylva, § 658 (J.). The Timber and Wood are, in some Trees, more Cleane, in some more Knottie.

1712.  E. Cooke, Voy. S. Sea, 196. There is Water enough, and a clean Bottom.

1793.  Smeaton, Edystone L., § 262. To drop an anchor as soon as we got into clean ground.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Clean, free from danger, as clean coast, clean harbour.

1884.  Exeter & Plymouth Gaz., 29 Aug., 1/1. The oak is of long lengths, clean and very hearty.

  13.  Clear of inequalities or unevennesses, clean-cut.

1677.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc. (1703), 202. If you have not at first brought your Work clean; that is … gone deep enough with your Gouge to take off all the Risings of the Stuff the Draw-knife left.

1733.  Cheyne, Eng. Malady, I. xi. § 1 (1735), 99. The Strokes of such a Pulse are seldom clean and free.

1807.  Med. Jrnl., XVII. 188. A clean wound, in the fore arm.

1853.  Kane, Grinnell Exp., iv. (1854), 34. The clean abrupt edge of the fractures.

1871.  Tyndall, Fragm. Sc. (ed. 6), I. xii. 367. No slate ever exhibited so clean a cleavage.

  V.  14. With nouns of action, etc.: Where nothing is left behind; entire, complete, total, perfect, sheer. (Influenced by the adv.; with ‘a clean sweep’ cf. to sweep clean.). In early use, esp. in alliterative verse, often used vaguely.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 25529 (Cott.). Giue us clene scrift at hald.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 2801. The Kyng … declarit all his clene wille. Ibid., 10441. Schuld haue killit þis kyng with his clen strenkith.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 227 b. Make clene confessyon.

1531.  Elyot, Gov., I. viii. (1883), I. 46. With wonderfull strength and clene might.

1611.  Bible, Lev. xxiii. 22. When ye reape the haruest of your land, thou shalt not make cleane riddance of the corners of the field.

1611.  Cotgr., Nettoyer au balay, to make cleane work, to sweepe all away.

1868.  J. H. Blunt, Ref. Ch. Eng., I. 318. The clean sweep which had been made of so many ancient rights.

  15.  Comb.: see after the adv.