Etymology tree
Proto-West Germanic *klainī
Old English clǣne
Middle English clene
English clean
From Middle English clene, from Old English clāne, clǣne (“clean; pure; clear”), from Proto-West Germanic *klainī (“dainty, fine, small; clean”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *glēy- (“gleaming”), from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to gleam”).
Cognates
Cognate with Alemannic German chlei, chli, chlii, chly, klei (“small”), Bavarian gloa, kla, klaa, kloa, kloan (“small; young; insignificant”), Central Franconian and Low German kleen (“small”), Cimbrian khlòan, khlumma (“small”), Dutch and German klein (“small”), Limburgish klein, kléïn (“small”), Luxembourgish kleng (“small”), Mòcheno khloa'n (“small”), Vilamovian klin (“small”), Yiddish קליין (kleyn, “small”), Danish klejn (“delicate, tiny”), Faroese klænur (“slight, slim, thin”), Icelandic klénn (“feeble, poor; indisposed; short; lame; good, pretty, snug”), Norwegian Bokmål klein, klen (“slender; sick; feeble; bad, poor, weak; inept”), Swedish klen (“weak”).
Meanings
Free of dirt, filth, or impurities (extraneous matter); not dirty, filthy, or soiled.
Are these dishes clean?
Your room is finally clean!
For a baby, happiness is a full bottle and a clean diaper.
Scientists believe they have identified the world’s cleanest air, free from particles caused by human activity, located over the Southern Ocean, which surrounds Antarctica. 2020 June 2, Amy Woodyatt, “Scientists say they have found the cleanest air on Earth”, in CNN:
Then his sallow face brightened, for the hall had been carefully furnished, and was very clean. There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls. 1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter II, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, →OCLC; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], [1933], →OCLC:
Very fine, well-sorted, clean sand with no shells. 1964, Coastal Engineering Research Center (U.S.), Technical Memorandum - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Coastal Engineering Research Center, page 69:
Free of dirt, filth, or impurities (extraneous matter); not dirty, filthy, or soiled. ▸ Of metal, having relatively few impurities.
clean steel
(slang) Free of dirt, filth, or impurities (extraneous matter); not dirty, filthy, or soiled. ▸ Not muscular due to steroid use.
I don't think he's clean, look at those traps.
Free of contamination, (unwanted) germs, infection, or disease.
Insert a clean swab into your nose.
"Serious as cognitohazard." Lillihammer danced down the corridor towards them, doing little pirouettes and leaping from toe to toe. "Reuben Wirth no longer exists. Gonna have to get Forsythe to do that brain scan to make sure I'm clean, but otherwise yeah. Poof." 2023 October 14, HarryBlank, “Face Time”, in SCP Foundation, archived from the original on 23 May 2024:
Free of contamination, (unwanted) germs, infection, or disease. ▸ Devoid of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
I want to make sure my fiancé is clean before we are married.
(for example, slang) Free of imperfections, blemishes, or defects. ▸ Of a victory or performance: without any blemishes such as submission holds, disqualification, interference, etc.
Our team won, but it wasn't clean.
Free of imperfections, blemishes, or defects. ▸ Of a route, ascended without falling.
Free of imperfections, blemishes, or defects. ▸ Free from that which is useless or injurious; without defects.
clean land
clean timber
Free of imperfections, blemishes, or defects. ▸ In an unmarked condition; blank.
Put a clean sheet of paper into the printer.
Free of immorality or criminality. ▸ Pure, especially morally or religiously.
Create in me a clean heart, O God. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 51:10:
Our kids can watch this movie because it is clean.
Ah! let me knot be fool'd, sweet saints. I trust / That I am whole, and clean, and meet for Heaven. 1833 (date written), Alfred Tennyson, “St. Simeon Stylites”, in Poems. […], volume II, London: Edward Moxon, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 63:
I do not think there is any member in this House who will not agree that that is the clean thing to do. Any member sitting on the Government benches will admit in private that that is the proper course for members who break faith. 1914, Parliamentary Debates, volume 168, New Zealand, page 195:
Free of immorality or criminality. ▸ Not using drugs or alcohol.
Ten months sober, I must admit
Just because you're clean, don't mean you don't miss it
Ten months older, I won't give in
Now that I'm clean, I'm never gonna risk it 2014 October 27, Taylor Swift, Imogen Heap, “Clean (Taylor's Version)”, in 1989 (Taylor's Version), performed by Taylor Swift, published 27 October 2023:
I've been clean this time for eight months.
go clean
Free of immorality or criminality. ▸ Free from (or showing no signs of) corrupt, unlawful, and/or sinister conduct or connections (and (of criminal, driving, etc. records) therefore without restrictions or penalties).
Unlike you, I’ve never caused any accidents — my record is still clean!
It was my dream to be a Soviet spy. The vetting process started, and I was “clean”: no Jews in either my background or my wife's, no relatives abroad, already a member of the Soviet Communist Party, high marks on exams, three foreign languages, no dissident inclinations[…] 2009 May 26, John Earl Haynes, Harvey Klehr, Alexander Vassiliev, Spies: The Rise and Fall of the KGB in America, Yale University Press, →ISBN:
"If the Tramells hadn't passed away, we still wouldn't know. The background check was clean." "How can it be clean, for fuck's sake?" I knocked back the whiskey in one swallow. "Eva's mother used Monica's name, birthdate, and family history, but she never opened a line of credit, which is how most identity theft is discovered." 2016 April 5, Sylvia Day, One with You, St. Martin's Griffin, →ISBN:
(informal) Free of immorality or criminality. ▸ Not in possession of weapons or contraband such as drugs.
I'm clean, officer. You can go ahead and search me if you want.
(informal) Free of immorality or criminality. ▸ Devoid of profanity.
Free of infiltration by covert listening or recording devices (bugs), enemy spies, etc.
We are currently clean on OPSEC.
"[Are you sure the] room is clean?" "As a whistle. It's swept at irregular intervals every week." "That still leaves time to plant a bug[…]" 1989, Gayle Rivers, The Killing House, Jove Books, →ISBN:
Empty.
Mister, I want to see a clean dinner plate or there'll be no dessert for you.
The cargo hold is clean.
The condo was stripped clean by the previous tenant.
Smooth, exact, and performed well.
a clean leap over a fence
I'll need a sharper knife to make clean cuts.
a clean left-footed shot into the top corner of the goal
That does not damage the environment (as much as some alternative).
In a press release, CARB expanded on their decision. "The LCFS reduces air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions by setting a declining carbon intensity target for transportation fuels used in California; producers that don't meet established benchmarks buy credits from those that do. This system has generated $4 billion in annual private sector investment toward a cleaner transportation sector." 2024 November 8, Luz Pena, “California's gas prices could have major increase with passing of new fuel standards”, in ABC7 News:
clean tourism
clean energy
clean coal
Allowing an uninterrupted flow over surfaces, without protrusions such as racks or landing gear.
Having the undercarriage and flaps in the up position.
Well-proportioned; shapely.
clean limbs
(informal) Cool or neat.
Wow, dude, those are some clean shoes ya got there!
Utter, complete, total; pure; free from restraint.
a clean sweep
The clean thrill of getting the right answer gave me a sense of efficacy and rootedness. Even so, on tests at school I rarely got good grades, because I had a terrible habit of not showing my work. 2023 July 18, Arianne Shahvisi, Arguing for a Better World: How Philosophy Can Help Us Fight for Social Justice, Penguin, →ISBN, page 1:
When ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of corners of thy field. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Leviticus 23:22:
rup albu (roa-rup) (not dirty) · nl schoon (not dirty) · lus fai (not dirty) · ja 清潔な (not dirty) · fr clean (not having sexually transmitted diseases) · tt чиста (not dirty) · el αμόλυντος (pure, especially morally or religiously) · ota آری (not dirty) · ro curat (not dirty) · zh 純潔 /纯洁 (pure, especially morally or religiously) · sw safi (not dirty) · ce цӏена (not dirty) · hu tiszta (not dirty) · it pulito (not dirty) · fi puhdas (smooth, exact, and performed well) · sh čȉst (without restrictions or penalties) · nrf net (not dirty) · ru чи́стый (pure, especially morally or religiously) · af skoon (in an unmarked condition) · cic chofata (not dirty) · rup chischin (not dirty) · my သန့် (not dirty) · zh 熟練 /熟练 (slang: cool or neat) · hy մաքուր (not dirty) · ca net (smooth, exact, and performed well) · fi puhdas (pure, especially morally or religiously) · tt саф (not dirty) · vec net (not dirty) · nl mooie (smooth, exact, and performed well) · tg тоза (not dirty) · syl ꠌꠣꠚꠣ (not dirty) · bg чист (pure, especially morally or religiously) · ia nette (not dirty) · fr clean (not having used mind-altering or mood-changing substances) · an neto (not dirty) · si පිරිසුදු (not dirty) · mt nadif (not dirty) · cic chifata (not dirty) · nl leeg (pure, especially morally or religiously) · sl čist (not dirty) · mi pokekore (pure, especially morally or religiously) · lb propper (not dirty) · kum таза (not dirty) · lv tīrs (not dirty) · az arı (not dirty) · it pulito (without restrictions or penalties) · pt imaculado (pure, especially morally or religiously) · ta சுத்தம் (not dirty) · ka სუფთა (not dirty) · ru ро́вный (smooth, exact, and performed well) · af skoon (not having used mind-altering or mood-changing substances) · zh 乾淨 /干净 (not dirty) · sq pastër (not dirty) · lld nët (not dirty) · es limpio (not dirty) · got 𐌷𐌻𐌿𐍄𐍂𐍃 (not dirty) · ota صفی (not dirty) · pt limpo (in an unmarked condition) · ota تمیز (not dirty) · alt ару (not dirty) · vi sạch (not dirty) · ko 맑다 (not dirty) · ru чи́стый (not in possession of weapons or contraband such as drugs) · es limpio (pure, especially morally or religiously) · ru чи́стый (not dirty) · sl čist (without restrictions or penalties) · qu llimphu (not dirty) · bcl malinig (not dirty) · pt limpo (smooth, exact, and performed well) · dsb cysty (pure, especially morally or religiously) · grc καθαρός (not dirty) · fi puhdas (not dirty) · pdt rein (pure, especially morally or religiously) · tg соф (not dirty) · vi sạch sẽ (not dirty) · kk саф (not dirty) · pt limpo (not having used mind-altering or mood-changing substances) · sw nadhifu (not dirty) · ar نضيف (not dirty) · af skoon (not in possession of weapons or contraband such as drugs) · ca net (not having sexually transmitted diseases) · tr arı (not dirty) · pt limpo (not dirty) · is auður (in an unmarked condition) · la pūrus (not dirty) · de clean (not having used mind-altering or mood-changing substances) · mfe prop (not dirty) · vec néto (not dirty) · nrf propre (not dirty) · ja 清い (not dirty) · fi puhdas (not having sexually transmitted diseases) · mi takakau (pure, especially morally or religiously) · es limpio (free of immorality or criminality) · scn pulitu (not dirty) · io neta (not dirty) · an limpio (not dirty) · cu чистъ (not dirty) · sv ren (not having used mind-altering or mood-changing substances) · as চাফ চিকুণ (not dirty) · cy glân (not dirty) · ckb پاک (not dirty) · bg чист (not dirty) · tg пок (not dirty) · aii ܬܲܡܸܙ (not dirty) · mr स्वच्छ (not dirty) · ne सफा (not dirty) · tk tämiz (not dirty) · mn цэвэр (not dirty) · tg покиза (not dirty) · fa پاک (not dirty) · uk чи́стий (not dirty) · ko 깨끗하다 (not dirty) · uz toza (not dirty) · ca net (in an unmarked condition) · fr net (not dirty) · so nadiif (not dirty) · is hreinn (without restrictions or penalties) · ota پاك (pure, especially morally or religiously) · ky пакиз (not dirty) · ru чи́стый (in an unmarked condition) · de rein (not dirty) · de sauber (not dirty) · ota صفی (pure, especially morally or religiously) · sh чи̏ст (pure, especially morally or religiously) · ms bersih (not dirty) · la mundus (not dirty) · ca net (not dirty) · as চাফা (not dirty) · fi puhdas (without restrictions or penalties) · kk таза (not dirty) · bg чист (without restrictions or penalties) · inh цӏена (not dirty) · ky аруу (not dirty) · ba таҙа (not dirty) · el αγνός (pure, especially morally or religiously) · ast llimpiu (not dirty) · ig ocha (not dirty) · fo reinur (not dirty) · uz pokiza (not dirty) · ja 綺麗な (not dirty) · ks صاف (not dirty) · ang clǣne (not dirty) · dsb cysty (not dirty) · fi puhdas (in an unmarked condition) · ps پاک (not dirty) · eu garbi (not dirty) · bn সাফ (not dirty) · cs čistý (not dirty) · gd glan (not dirty) · et puhas (not dirty) · ca sa (not having sexually transmitted diseases) · io pura (pure, especially morally or religiously) · sq lir (in an unmarked condition) · pa سُتْھرا (not dirty) · fit puhas (not dirty) · aii ܕܸܟ݂ܝܵܐ (not dirty) · af skoon (not dirty) · sh čȉst (smooth, exact, and performed well) · sk čistý (not dirty) · sh čȉst (pure, especially morally or religiously) · lt švarus (not dirty) · de sauber (smooth, exact, and performed well) · nl proper (not dirty) · ha tsari (not dirty) · mn цэвэр (pure, especially morally or religiously) · fr propre (not dirty) · sh čȉst (not dirty) · sq lir (without restrictions or penalties) · pa ਸਾਫ਼ (not dirty) · bn পরিষ্কার (not dirty) · pl przyzwoity (pure, especially morally or religiously) · la tersus (not dirty) · sd صاف (not dirty) · tg тамиз (not dirty) · hsb čisty (not dirty) · ks پَوِتھٕر (pure, especially morally or religiously) · kmr paqij (not dirty) · is hreinn (not dirty) · ar نَظِيف (not dirty) · nl blanco (in an unmarked condition) · fi sileä (allowing an uninterrupted flow over surfaces) · ia munde (not dirty) · nl prachtig (slang: cool or neat) · cjs арығ (not dirty) · ga glan (not dirty) · pt puro (pure, especially morally or religiously) · hi साफ़ (not dirty) · ga glan (pure, especially morally or religiously) · sh чи̏ст (without restrictions or penalties) · ky таза (not dirty) · th สะอาด (not dirty) · rup pãstrit (not dirty) · it pulito (not in possession of weapons or contraband such as drugs) · zh 公正 (smooth, exact, and performed well) · ady къабзэ (not dirty) · cv таса (not dirty) · lo ສະອາດ (not dirty) · mww huv (not dirty) · chr ᎤᏓᏅᎦᎸᏓ (not dirty) · nrf naette (not dirty) · tr arın (not dirty) · sv ren (pure, especially morally or religiously) · ota پاك (not dirty) · sv ren (not dirty) · fr pur (pure, especially morally or religiously) · ml വൃത്തിയായ (not dirty) · zh 公正 (without restrictions or penalties) · sh чи̏ст (not dirty) · af rein (pure, especially morally or religiously) · unm pilsi (not dirty) · cu чистъ (pure, especially morally or religiously) · gl puro (pure, especially morally or religiously) · as পৰিষ্কাৰ (not dirty) · os сыгъдӕг (not dirty) · it pulito (not having used mind-altering or mood-changing substances) · mr साफ (not dirty) · af skoon (not having sexually transmitted diseases) · el καθαρός (not dirty) · be чы́сты (not dirty) · af blink (slang: cool or neat) · gl limpo (not dirty) · eo pura (not dirty) · rup spastru (not dirty) · pdt rein (not dirty) · mk чист (not dirty) · ru чи́стый (without restrictions or penalties) · hi स्वच्छ (not dirty) · haw maʻemaʻe (not dirty) · uz pok (not dirty) · mi mā (not dirty) · ca pur (pure, especially morally or religiously) · fur net (not dirty) · pox caistĕ (not dirty) · az təmiz (not dirty) · km ស្អាត (not dirty) · as চিকুণ (not dirty) · es limpio (not having used mind-altering or mood-changing substances) · lmo nett (not dirty) · tyv арыг (not dirty) · jv resik (not dirty) · ckb خاوێن (not dirty) · ks پاکھ (pure, especially morally or religiously) · bg чист (in an unmarked condition) · sl čist (smooth, exact, and performed well) · pt asseado (not dirty) · fi siisti (slang: cool or neat) · de rein (pure, especially morally or religiously) · bo གཙང་མ (not dirty) · ig ucha (not dirty) · br dilastez (not dirty) · pl czysty (not dirty) · fi tyhjä (in an unmarked condition) · pa صاف (not dirty) · fi viaton (pure, especially morally or religiously) · fa تمیز (not dirty) · pa صاف سُتْھرا (not dirty) · yue 乾淨 /干净 (not dirty) · rup spilat (not dirty) · ru чи́стый (smooth, exact, and performed well) · tt таза (not dirty) · yi ריין (not dirty) · am ንጹሕ (not dirty) · ur صاف (not dirty) · sah ыраас (not dirty) · ml ശുദ്ധ (not dirty) · ro pur (pure, especially morally or religiously) · ca net (not in possession of weapons or contraband such as drugs) · mdh matilak (not dirty) · de sauber (slang: cool or neat) · ga glan (smooth, exact, and performed well) · he נָקִי (not dirty) · da ren (not dirty) · uli kiliil (not dirty) · sh чи̏ст (smooth, exact, and performed well) · egy wab-mw (not dirty) · zh 整齊 /整齐 (in an unmarked condition) · id bersih (not dirty) · rup curat (not dirty) · oc net (not dirty) · tl malinis (not dirty) · vo klinik (not dirty) · mn ариун (pure, especially morally or religiously) · he טָהוֹר (pure, especially morally or religiously) · as চফা (not dirty) · kw glan (not dirty) · tr temiz (not dirty)
Etymology tree
Proto-West Germanic *klainī
Old English clǣne
Middle English clene
English clean
From Middle English clene, from Old English clāne, clǣne (“clean; pure; clear”), from Proto-West Germanic *klainī (“dainty, fine, small; clean”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *glēy- (“gleaming”), from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to gleam”).
Cognates
Cognate with Alemannic German chlei, chli, chlii, chly, klei (“small”), Bavarian gloa, kla, klaa, kloa, kloan (“small; young; insignificant”), Central Franconian and Low German kleen (“small”), Cimbrian khlòan, khlumma (“small”), Dutch and German klein (“small”), Limburgish klein, kléïn (“small”), Luxembourgish kleng (“small”), Mòcheno khloa'n (“small”), Vilamovian klin (“small”), Yiddish קליין (kleyn, “small”), Danish klejn (“delicate, tiny”), Faroese klænur (“slight, slim, thin”), Icelandic klénn (“feeble, poor; indisposed; short; lame; good, pretty, snug”), Norwegian Bokmål klein, klen (“slender; sick; feeble; bad, poor, weak; inept”), Swedish klen (“weak”).
Meanings
Fully and completely.
Moreover, I find there are some Words now in French which are turned to a Countersense […] Cocu is taken for one whose Wife is light, and hath made him a passive Cuckold; whereas clean contrary, Cocu, which is the Cuckow, doth use to lay her Eggs in another Bird's Nest. 1655, James Howell, “To the Right Honourable the Earl of Clare”, in Epistolæ Ho-Elianæ. Familiar Letters Domestic and Forren. […], 3rd edition, volume (please specify the page), London: […] Humphrey Mos[e]ley, […], →OCLC:
The wave went clean over the old lighthouse.
It strikes me that you have come off uncommonly easy, seeing as how things were. No mess, no breakages, no odds and ends from every room that you can't remember until it's too late to claim. Just one big lot taken clean. 1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries:
So, since all my pains in his direction were clean thrown away, there was nothing left for me but to scurry back to Marjorie, — so I scurried, and I found the house empty, no one there, and Marjorie gone. 1897, Richard Marsh, The Beetle:
The huge square box, parquet-floored and high-ceilinged, had been arranged to display a suite of bedroom furniture designed and made in the halcyon days of the last quarter of the nineteenth century, when modish taste was just due to go clean out of fashion for the best part of the next hundred years. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 1, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
He was stabbed clean through.
You must be clean mad.
Now they were faced with the problem of a northerly blow, which could soon send a heavy swell clean into the bay. 1956 September, F. F. Nicholls, “Neyland, A Forgotten Harbour”, in Railway Magazine, page 632:
A feat sometimes achieved by outstanding local athletes is to throw a cricket ball clean over the top [of the viaduct]. 1951 October, William B. Stocks, “A Few Miles from Huddersfield”, in Railway Magazine, page 701:
nl schoon (fully and completely) · ru на́чисто (fully and completely) · fi täysin (fully and completely) · ga ar fad (fully and completely) · bg изцяло (fully and completely) · bg напълно (fully and completely) · nl proper (fully and completely)
Etymology tree
Proto-West Germanic *klainī
Old English clǣne
Middle English clene
English clean
From Middle English clene, from Old English clāne, clǣne (“clean; pure; clear”), from Proto-West Germanic *klainī (“dainty, fine, small; clean”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *glēy- (“gleaming”), from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to gleam”).
Cognates
Cognate with Alemannic German chlei, chli, chlii, chly, klei (“small”), Bavarian gloa, kla, klaa, kloa, kloan (“small; young; insignificant”), Central Franconian and Low German kleen (“small”), Cimbrian khlòan, khlumma (“small”), Dutch and German klein (“small”), Limburgish klein, kléïn (“small”), Luxembourgish kleng (“small”), Mòcheno khloa'n (“small”), Vilamovian klin (“small”), Yiddish קליין (kleyn, “small”), Danish klejn (“delicate, tiny”), Faroese klænur (“slight, slim, thin”), Icelandic klénn (“feeble, poor; indisposed; short; lame; good, pretty, snug”), Norwegian Bokmål klein, klen (“slender; sick; feeble; bad, poor, weak; inept”), Swedish klen (“weak”).
Meanings
A removal of dirt.
This place needs a clean.
Give the pan a thorough clean.
The first part of the event clean and jerk in which the weight is brought from the ground to the shoulders.
(in-plural) Of heavy metal, clear vocals, contrasted with death growls and screams.
When people complained the songs were too hard, Kyle's clean vocals could bail out the band. Adding cleans would set off a chain reaction though - Kyle's crisp, clear presence could be seen as "betraying" the raw assault that Mike inflicts on the fans with his screams and growls. 2014, T/James Reagan, Leeds House, Amazon Digital Services LLC, →ISBN, page 314:
The band's more recent output has seen a small amount of cleans find their way in, but for the most part, the Pennsylvania boys rely on the kind of devastating vocal delivery that can be heard on monumental career highlights such as "Marianas Trench." 2023 April 17, Jake Richardson, “10 Best Clean Singers in Metalcore”, in Loudwire, archived from the original on 17 Aug 2024:
Vocalist Kaan is impeccable in his performance engaging with the crowd and soulfully executing both searing screams and hauntingly melodic cleans. 2016, Jay Shields, “Tech Fest 2016”, in Fraser Mutch, editor, Elite Online Mag, number 78, page 155:
bg изтласкване (first part of "clean and jerk" weightlifting) · mr सफाई (removal of dirt) · ko 클린 (first part of "clean and jerk" weightlifting) · nl voorslaan (first part of "clean and jerk" weightlifting) · pt limpada (removal of dirt) · pt limpeza (removal of dirt) · ja クリーン (first part of "clean and jerk" weightlifting) · fi veto (first part of "clean and jerk" weightlifting) · ks صَفٲیی (removal of dirt) · sq fshi (removal of dirt)
Etymology tree
Proto-West Germanic *klainī
Old English clǣne
Middle English clene
English clean
From Middle English clene, from Old English clāne, clǣne (“clean; pure; clear”), from Proto-West Germanic *klainī (“dainty, fine, small; clean”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *glēy- (“gleaming”), from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to gleam”).
Cognates
Cognate with Alemannic German chlei, chli, chlii, chly, klei (“small”), Bavarian gloa, kla, klaa, kloa, kloan (“small; young; insignificant”), Central Franconian and Low German kleen (“small”), Cimbrian khlòan, khlumma (“small”), Dutch and German klein (“small”), Limburgish klein, kléïn (“small”), Luxembourgish kleng (“small”), Mòcheno khloa'n (“small”), Vilamovian klin (“small”), Yiddish קליין (kleyn, “small”), Danish klejn (“delicate, tiny”), Faroese klænur (“slight, slim, thin”), Icelandic klénn (“feeble, poor; indisposed; short; lame; good, pretty, snug”), Norwegian Bokmål klein, klen (“slender; sick; feeble; bad, poor, weak; inept”), Swedish klen (“weak”).
Meanings
(transitive) To remove dirt from a place or object.
Can you clean the windows today?
(transitive) To tidy up, make a place neat.
Clean your room right now!
(intransitive) To make things clean in general.
She just likes to clean. That’s why I married her.
(transitive) To remove equipment from a climbing route after it was previously lead climbed.
(transitive) To remove unnecessary files, etc. from (a directory, etc.).
(intransitive) To brush the ice lightly in front of a moving rock to remove any debris and ensure a correct line; less vigorous than a sweep.
(slang) To purge a raw of any blemishes caused by the scanning process such as brown tinting and poor color contrast.
(transitive) To lift a weight from the ground to one's shoulders.
Mike Aidala grunts as he cleans and presses 300 pounds up from the floor of his garage. 2026, Greg Presto, “Timeless Gains”, in Men's Health, volume 41, number 2, page 14:
Synonym of clean up.
(transitive) To remove guts and/or scales of a butchered animal.
nl wassen ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · pt limpar ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ka გასუფთავება ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · sh чи̏стити ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · sw -safisha ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · tl maglinis ((intransitive) to make things clean) · sl čistiti ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · fi puhdistaa ((intransitive) to make things clean) · th เช็ด ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · mr सफाई करणे ((intransitive) to make things clean) · ks صاف کَرُن ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ca netejar ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · mww ntxuav ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · fa تمیز کردن ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ca arreglar ((transitive) to tidy up) · th ล้าง ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · mfe netwaye ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · cs vyčistit ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · vi lau ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · lb propper maachen ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · fr ranger ((transitive) to tidy up) · ks صاف کَرُن ((transitive) to tidy up) · te శుభ్రం చేయు ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · fi siivota ((intransitive) to make things clean) · fr nettoyer ((intransitive) to make things clean) · cs uklízet ((intransitive) to make things clean) · ast llimpiar ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ja 片付ける ((transitive) to tidy up) · mn цэвэрлэх ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · el καθαρίζω ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · is þrífa ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · cs čistit ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · lb rengegen ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · uk почи́стити ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · kk тазалау ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · cs uklidit ((transitive) to tidy up) · ru почи́стить ((transitive) to tidy up) · lmo nettà ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ca netejar ((transitive) to tidy up) · es limpiar ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · fi puhdistaa ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ne सफा गर्नु ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · mk чисти ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · sco dicht ((transitive) to tidy up) · de abbuddse ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ja 掃除する ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · sl čistiti ((transitive) to tidy up) · lv attīrīt ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ko 청소하다 ((transitive) to tidy up) · cs očistit ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ga glan ((intransitive) to make things clean) · nrf netti ((intransitive) to make things clean) · bn সাফ করা ((transitive) to tidy up) · ru почи́стить ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ro șterge ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ru чи́стить ((transitive) to tidy up) · it nettare ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · fr nettoyer ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · de aufräumen ((transitive) to tidy up) · lv iztīrīt ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · sv rengöra ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · gd glan ((intransitive) to make things clean) · fi siivota ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · mn эмхлэх ((transitive) to tidy up) · nl poetsen ((intransitive) to make things clean) · is hreinsa ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · az yığışdırmaq ((transitive) to tidy up) · tyv чуур ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · yi רייניקן ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · fi siistiä ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · got 𐌷𐍂𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌾𐌰𐌽 ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ru очища́ть ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · km ដុសលាង ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · pl sprzątać ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · km សំអាត ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ht netwaye ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · hi साफ़ करना ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ja きれいにする ((intransitive) to make things clean) · hy մաքրել ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · mi horoi ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · et puhastama ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · scn puliri ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · io netigar ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · mr साफसफाई करणे ((intransitive) to make things clean) · gun ky'a'o ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · vi làm sạch ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · lv tīrīt ((intransitive) to make things clean) · it pulire ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ru очи́стить ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ja 清潔にする ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · de säubern ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · gd glan ((transitive) to tidy up) · eo poluri ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · cho achefa ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · lv tīrīt ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · be пачы́сціць ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · gug mopotĩ ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ks چھَلُن ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · as চাফা কৰা ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ka წმენდა ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · aii ܬܲܡܸܙ ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · qu pichay ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · mr साफ करणे ((transitive) to tidy up) · hy մաքրել ((transitive) to tidy up) · bg почиствам ((intransitive) to make things clean) · az arıtmaq ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · cic chifalli ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · as চফা কৰা ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ang clǣnsian ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · cic chofatli ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · de putzen ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · mt naddaf ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ba йыйыштырыу ((transitive) to tidy up) · pl oczyszczać ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ru убра́ть ((transitive) to tidy up) · fur netâ ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · he נִקָּה ((transitive) to tidy up) · ga glan ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · hu takarít ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · bo གཙང་མ་བཟོས ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · fi siivota ((transitive) to tidy up) · hu tisztít ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · as পৰিষ্কাৰ কৰা ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · la ordinō ((transitive) to tidy up) · mn цэвэрлэх ((transitive) to tidy up) · sh čȉstiti ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · nl poetsen ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · br dilouzañ ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · nl schoonmaken ((intransitive) to make things clean) · de putzen ((intransitive) to make things clean) · el συμμαζεύω ((transitive) to tidy up) · tl ayusin ((transitive) to tidy up) · az təmizləmək ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ru вы́чистить ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · chr ᎦᏅᎦᎵᎭ ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · aii ܕܵܟ݂ܹܐ ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ro curăța ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · lt valyti ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ko 청소하다 ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · fr poutzer ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · sco dicht ((intransitive) to make things clean) · pl czyścić ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ja 整頓する ((transitive) to tidy up) · lv sakārtot ((transitive) to tidy up) · ar نَظَّفَ ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · tr temizlemek ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · th เก็บกวาด ((transitive) to tidy up) · la tergeo ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · no gjøre rent ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · th ทำความสะอาด ((intransitive) to make things clean) · lv satīrīt ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · de reinigen ((intransitive) to make things clean) · mr साफ करणे ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · qu mayllay ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · fur netâ ((transitive) to tidy up) · vec netar ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ko 소제하다 ((transitive) to tidy up) · la mundo ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · lld rumé su ((transitive) to tidy up) · ga glan ((transitive) to tidy up) · ca ordenar ((transitive) to tidy up) · nl schoonmaken ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · yi פּוצן ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · sv städa ((transitive) to tidy up) · sk čistiť ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · fi putsata ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ota تمیزلهمك ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · hy սրբել ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · tl linisan ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · pt limpar ((intransitive) to make things clean) · vi dọn dẹp ((transitive) to tidy up) · ml വൃത്തിയാക്കുക ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · lt švarinti ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · pl oczyścić ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · mn цэгцлэх ((transitive) to tidy up) · uk чи́стити ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · is þrífa ((intransitive) to make things clean) · lb botzen ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · da rense ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ru чи́стить ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · kw glanhe ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · bg чи́стя ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · zh 整理 ((transitive) to tidy up) · tl linisin ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · hy մաքրել ((intransitive) to make things clean) · lld puzné ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · es arreglar ((transitive) to tidy up) · sco dicht ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · de abwischen ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · lb rengegen ((intransitive) to make things clean) · km ជំរះ ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · bn সাফ করা ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · lv notīrīt ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · br disaotrañ ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · mi whakapai ((transitive) to tidy up) · cic chofalli ((transitive) to tidy up) · gd glan ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · cic chofalli ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · sms čiistâd ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · de reinigen ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · nl kuisen ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · as চাফ চিকুণ কৰা ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · bn পরিষ্কার করা ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · oc netejar ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · it ordinare ((transitive) to tidy up) · rup cur ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · fi (kevyesti) harjata ((intransitive) to brush lightly in front of a curling rock) · be чы́сціць ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · sv göra ren ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · cic chofatli ((transitive) to tidy up) · hi साफ़ करना ((transitive) to tidy up) · as চিকুণ কৰা ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ja 整理する ((transitive) to tidy up) · az səliqəyə salmaq ((transitive) to tidy up) · nrf netti ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · lld puzné ((transitive) to tidy up) · cic chifalli ((transitive) to tidy up) · tl linisin ((transitive) to tidy up) · lv kārtot ((transitive) to tidy up) · ba таҙартыу ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · nap pulizzà ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · zh 打掃 /打扫 ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · la purgo ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · rup pãstrescu ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · ta சுத்தமாக்கு ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · sq pastroj ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · gl limpar ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · bg разтребвам ((transitive) to tidy up) · ru убира́ть ((transitive) to tidy up) · de säubern ((intransitive) to make things clean) · sd صاف ڪرڻ ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · lmo netà ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · de putzen ((transitive) to tidy up) · nl opruimen ((transitive) to tidy up) · ckb پاک کردن ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · vec netare ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · kea linpa ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · cy glanhau ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · nl reinigen ((transitive) to remove dirt from a place or object) · pt arrumar ((transitive) to tidy up)