adj.
1 pure, undefiled, unsullied, unmixed, unadulterated, uncontaminated, unpolluted, uninfected, unspoiled or unspoilt, sanitary, disinfected; antiseptic, decontaminated, purified, sterile:
The laboratory reports that our well water is absolutely clean. You must use a clean bandage.
2 unsoiled, untainted, unstained; unsullied; cleansed, cleanly, (freshly) laundered or washed, scrubbed; spotless, immaculate:
She puts on clean underwear every day in case she's involved in an accident.
3 clean-cut, neat, simple, definite, uncomplicated, smooth, even, straight, trim, tidy:
The edges of the fracture are clean and will mend quickly.
4 innocent, blameless, inoffensive, respectable; decent, chaste, pure, honourable, good, undefiled, virtuous, moral:
The suspect was completely clean - he was out of town at the time of the robbery.
5 non-radioactive:
They say they've produced a clean bomb, but I don't believe it.
6 unarmed, weaponless:
Frisk that suspect and make sure he's clean.
adv.
7 completely, entirely, thoroughly, fully, totally, wholly, altogether, quite, utterly, absolutely:
Geoff's clean out of his mind if he believes that. With one blow he cut the orange clean through.
8 come clean. confess, acknowledge, make a clean breast, admit, make a revelation, reveal, Colloq own up, spill the beans; US dialect fess up; Slang sing:
In the end he saw that he was trapped and decided to come clean.
v.
9 cleanse, wash, lave, (take a) shower, sponge, mop, scrub, scour, sweep, dust, vacuum, polish, launder, dry-clean, Brit hoover; tidy, neaten, do up, straighten up or out, unclutter; Brit bath; US and Canadian bathe:
When we cleaned the urn, we could read the inscription. I have told Richard a thousand times to clean his room.
10 clean out.
(a) exhaust, deplete:
The gambler cleaned her out of every penny she had in the world.
(b) empty, leave bare, clear out, evacuate:
We must clean out the larder before it can be painted.
11 clean up.
(a) clean, cleanse, wash, (take a) shower, Brit bath; US take a bath, bathe, wash up:
Clean up, please, dinner is almost ready. It took us a week to clean up the stables.
(b) purge, purify, disinfect, depollute, decontaminate, clear, sanitize:
The council has led the way towards cleaning up the wetlands of chemical waste.