Dictionary

clearance en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈklɪə̯.ɹəns/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈkʰlɪɚ.əns] ~ [ˈkʰlɪɹ̩.n̩s] (General-American)
• [ˈkʰlɪə̯.ɹəns] ~ [ˈkʰlɪə̯.ɹn̩s] (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈklɪɚ.əns/ (General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree English clear Proto-Indo-European *-onts Latin -ns Latin -āns Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin -āntia Old French -ancebor. Middle English -aunce English -ance English clearance From clear + -ance.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The act of clearing or something (such as a space) cleared.
   • In conclusion, it must be reiterated that effective snow clearance is largely a matter of forward planning and departmental co-operation. 1960 January 14, M. Harbottle, “Maintaining Services after Heavy Snowfalls”, in Railway Magazine, page 12:
2. (countable, uncountable) The distance between two moving objects, especially between parts of a machine
3. (countable, uncountable) The height or width of a tunnel, bridge or other passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage; a gap, headroom.
   • Clearance on these freeway overpasses is limited, so big trucks must detour.
   • When the scheme is completed, the 99-year-old swing bridge over the canal will be dispensed with as the new bridge will have sufficient height to allow clearance for the passage of canal traffic. 1954 February, “Notes and News: Deviation at Bramwith”, in Railway Magazine, page 137:
   • Piggybacking introduced severe clearance problems for many railroads. 1960 November, David Morgan, “""Piggyback"—U.S. success story”, in Trains Illustrated, page 684:
   • To obtain the required overhead clearance at Stockport, it will be necessary to open out the Edgeley tunnels. 1958 July 14, “Bridge Reconstruction for L.M.R. Electrification”, in Railway Magazine, page 488:
4. (countable, uncountable) A permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel.
   • He got clearance to travel to America, even though he had previous links to terrorists.
   • The plane got clearance from air traffic control, and we were off.
5. (countable, uncountable) A permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information.
   • In a thread called “Calm Before the Storm”, and in subsequent posts, Q established his legend as a government insider with top security clearance who knew the truth about a secret struggle for power involving Donald Trump, the “deep state”, Robert Mueller, the Clintons, pedophile rings, and other stuff. 2018 July 31, Julia Carrie Wong, “What is QAnon? Explaining the bizarre rightwing conspiracy theory”, in The Guardian:
6. (countable, uncountable) A permission to use something, usually intellectual property, that is legally, but not otherwise, protected.
7. (countable, uncountable) A sale of merchandise, especially at significantly reduced prices, usually in order to make room for new merchandise or updated versions of the same merchandise; sometimes as a closeout.
8. (countable, uncountable) The settlement of transactions involving securities or means of payment such as checks by means of a clearing house.
9. (countable, uncountable) The removal of harmful substances from the blood; renal clearance.
10. (countable, uncountable) The act of potting all the remaining balls on a table at one visit.
11. (countable, uncountable) The act of kicking a ball away from the goal one is defending.
    • Bolton were then just inches from taking the lead, but the dangerous-looking Taylor drilled just wide after picking up a loose ball following Jose Bosingwa's poor attempted clearance. 2010 December 29, Chris Whyatt, “Chelsea 1 - 0 Bolton”, in BBC:
12. (countable, uncountable) Removal of pieces from a rank, file or diagonal so that a bishop, rook or queen is free to move along it.
13. (countable, uncountable) Clear or net profit.
    • There can, I believe, be no doubt of this, that sugar can be made better and cheaper in large quantities than in small. But the clearance, sir; that is the question. How would this affect the clearance? The sugar manufacturer would want his profit. 1859, Anthony Trollope, The West Indies and the Spanish Main:
14. (countable, qualifier:Australian rules football, uncountable) The first disposal in a chain that leaves the area of a stoppage, or a disposal that leaves the area of a stoppage itself.
15. (countable, qualifier:Australian rules football, uncountable) The act of leaving the area of a stoppage.

Forms

Deriveds

customs clearance · L clearance · ground clearance · clearance space · Q clearance · nonclearance · clearance rate · reclearance · security clearance · immunoclearance · clearance sale · police clearance certificate · clearance time · total clearance · clearance hole · preclearance · renal clearance · seroclearance

Synonyms

clearing

Translations (177)

fi etäisyys (distance between two moving objects) · ru распрода́жа (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · pl wyprzedaż (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · it autorizzazione (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · it gioco (distance between two moving objects) · mk до́звола (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · es ganga (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · es aclaramiento (medicine: removal of harmful substances from the blood) · mk луфт (distance between two moving objects) · pl usuwanie (act of clearing or something cleared) · es claro (distance between two moving objects) · es despeje (soccer: the act of kicking a ball away from the goal one is defending) · fi pelivara (height or width of a passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage) · de Leerung (act of clearing or something cleared) · fi kulkulupa (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · fi valtuutus (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · fr braderie (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · it spazio (distance between two moving objects) · fr espace (distance between two moving objects) · ca rebuig (soccer: the act of kicking a ball away from the goal one is defending) · de Erlaubnis (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · fr accès (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · hu tisztítás (medicine: removal of harmful substances from the blood) · it via libera (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · pt limpa (act of clearing or something cleared) · es limpieza (medicine: removal of harmful substances from the blood) · hu klíring (finance: processing of payments at a clearing house) · pl zgoda (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · fi matkustuslupa (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · bg клиринг (finance: processing of payments at a clearing house) · es níhil óbstat (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · pl pozwolenie (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · pl zezwolenie (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · hu végkiárusítás (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · gl despexe (soccer: the act of kicking a ball away from the goal one is defending) · fi tyhjennys (act of clearing or something cleared) · bg разчистване (act of clearing or something cleared) · sv utförsäljning (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · de Freigabe (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · bg луфт (distance between two moving objects) · pt autorização (de partida/viagem/etc.) (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · mk кли́ринг (finance: processing of payments at a clearing house) · hu térköz (distance between two moving objects) · ru ликвида́ция (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · it svendita (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · es beneplácito (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · hu készletkiárusítás (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · hu jogosultság (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · id bersihan (medicine: removal of harmful substances from the blood) · fi selvitys (finance: processing of payments at a clearing house) · it spazio (height or width of a passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage) · de Rodung (act of clearing or something cleared) · ru просве́т (distance between two moving objects) · ru очи́стка (act of clearing or something cleared) · fr espace (height or width of a passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage) · ru разрешение (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · pl kliring (finance: processing of payments at a clearing house) · es holgura (height or width of a passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage) · hu hozzáférés (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · hu tér (height or width of a passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage) · es barata (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · it permesso (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · pl wiza (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · pl zgoda (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · hu felszabadítás (soccer: the act of kicking a ball away from the goal one is defending) · fr clairance (medicine: removal of harmful substances from the blood) · hu felszabadító rúgás (soccer: the act of kicking a ball away from the goal one is defending) · fr autorisation (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · de Ausverkauf (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · it luce (height or width of a passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage) · fi vapaa korkeus (height or width of a passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage) · fr intervalle (distance between two moving objects) · pl pozwolenie (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · fi välys (distance between two moving objects) · pt compensação (finance: processing of payments at a clearing house) · pt limpeza (medicine: removal of harmful substances from the blood) · pl likwidacja (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · sv frihöjd (height or width of a passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage) · fr clairance (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · it repulisti (act of clearing or something cleared) · pt folga (distance between two moving objects) · it accesso (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · de Roden (act of clearing or something cleared) · hu térköz (height or width of a passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage) · fr tolérance (distance between two moving objects) · fi lupa (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · fr évacuation (act of clearing or something cleared) · es níhil óbstat (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · bg пречистване (medicine: removal of harmful substances from the blood) · pl odstęp (distance between two moving objects) · nl vergunning (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · it via libera (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · es oferta (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · es despejo (act of clearing or something cleared) · es desobstrucción (act of clearing or something cleared) · es remate (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · mk расчисту́вање (act of clearing or something cleared) · fr soldes (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · es despeje (medicine: removal of harmful substances from the blood) · fi pelivara (distance between two moving objects) · es despeje (billiards: act of potting all the remaining balls on a table at one visit) · fi lupa (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · pl oczyszczanie (act of clearing or something cleared) · ru очище́ние (medicine: removal of harmful substances from the blood) · de Spiel (distance between two moving objects) · ru чи́стка (medicine: removal of harmful substances from the blood) · it divario (distance between two moving objects) · fi raivio (act of clearing or something cleared) · es huelgo (distance between two moving objects) · ru виза (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · it luce (distance between two moving objects) · mk пречисту́вање (medicine: removal of harmful substances from the blood) · it liquidazione (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · it piazza pulita (act of clearing or something cleared) · it intervallo (distance between two moving objects) · hu engedély (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · pl prześwit (distance between two moving objects) · fi alennusmyynti (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · hu hézag (height or width of a passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage) · fi tyhjennysmyynti (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · it compensazione (finance: processing of payments at a clearing house) · kl arsamik peersineq (soccer: the act of kicking a ball away from the goal one is defending) · ru ви́за (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · hu megtisztítás (act of clearing or something cleared) · ru зазо́р (distance between two moving objects) · de Freigabe (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · ru люфт (distance between two moving objects) · es huelgo (height or width of a passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage) · mk распро́дажба (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · de Ausräumung (act of clearing or something cleared) · mk до́звола (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · pl clearing (finance: processing of payments at a clearing house) · ru кли́ринг (finance: processing of payments at a clearing house) · fr feu vert (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · fi raivaus (act of clearing or something cleared) · hu szabaddá tétel (act of clearing or something cleared) · fi puhdistus (billiards: act of potting all the remaining balls on a table at one visit) · es anchura (distance between two moving objects) · cy arwerthiant (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · it saldo (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · ru разреше́ние (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · bg разпродажба (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · fr liquidation (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · es holgura (distance between two moving objects) · pt clearance (medicine: removal of harmful substances from the blood) · ru кли́ренс (finance: processing of payments at a clearing house) · hu kiárusítás (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · es claro (height or width of a passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage) · es anchura (height or width of a passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage) · fr permission (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · fr vidage (act of clearing or something cleared) · fi varoetäisyys (distance between two moving objects) · it clearance (medicine: removal of harmful substances from the blood) · fi puhdistuma (medicine: removal of harmful substances from the blood) · hu szezonvégi kiárusítás (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · es beneplácito (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · mk ви́за (permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel) · sv rensning (soccer: the act of kicking a ball away from the goal one is defending) · fi vapaa leveys (height or width of a passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage) · cmn 清倉 /清仓 (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · fr dégagement (soccer: the act of kicking a ball away from the goal one is defending) · it sgombero (act of clearing or something cleared) · it autorizzazione (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · bg разчистване (billiards: act of potting all the remaining balls on a table at one visit) · hu elszámolás (finance: processing of payments at a clearing house) · bg изчистване (soccer: the act of kicking a ball away from the goal one is defending) · gv ard-chreck (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · it filtraggio (medicine: removal of harmful substances from the blood) · pt autorização (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · fr gabarit (height or width of a passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage) · fr autorisation (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · ru расчи́стка (act of clearing or something cleared) · pt espaço (height or width of a passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage) · es despeje (act of clearing or something cleared) · pl zezwolenie (permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information) · pt liquidação (sale of merchandise at a reduced price) · ht likidasyon (sale of merchandise at a reduced price)