clear

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English clere, from Anglo-French cler, from Latin clarus clear, bright; akin to Latin calare to call — more at low Date: 13th century 1. a. bright, luminous b. cloudless; specifically less than one-tenth covered <

a clear sky

> c. free from mist, haze, or dust <

a clear day

> d. untroubled, serene <

a clear gaze

> 2. clean, pure: as a. free from blemishes <

clear skin

> b. easily seen through ; transparent <

clear glass

> c. free from abnormal sounds on auscultation 3. a. easily heard <

a loud and clear sound

> b. easily visible ; plain <

a clear signal

> c. free from obscurity or ambiguity ; easily understood ; unmistakable <

a clear explanation

> 4. a. capable of sharp discernment ; keen <

a clear thinker

> b. free from doubt ; sure <

not clear on how to proceed

> 5. free from guile or guilt ; innocent <

a clear conscience

> 6. unhampered by restriction or limitation: as a. unencumbered by debts or charges <

a clear estate

> b. net <

a clear profit

> c. unqualified, absolute <

a clear victory

> d. free from obstruction <

clear passage

> e. emptied of contents or cargo f. free from entanglement or contact <

staying clear of controversy

> <

keep clear of the boundary

> g. bare, denuded <

clear ground

> • clearness noun Synonyms: clear, transparent, translucent, limpid mean capable of being seen through. clear implies absence of cloudiness, haziness, or muddiness <

clear water

>. transparent implies being so clear that objects can be seen distinctly <

a transparent sheet of film

>. translucent implies the passage of light but not a clear view of what lies beyond <

translucent frosted glass

>. limpid suggests the soft clearness of pure water <

her eyes were limpid pools of blue

>. Synonyms: clear, perspicuous, lucid mean quickly and easily understood. clear implies freedom from obscurity, ambiguity, or undue complexity <

clear instructions

>. perspicuous applies to a style that is simple and elegant as well as clear <

a perspicuous style

>. lucid suggests a clear logical coherence and evident order of arrangement <

a lucid explanation

>. Synonym: see in addition evident. II. adverb Date: 14th century 1. in a clear manner <

to cry loud and clear

> 2. all the way <

drove clear across the state

> III. transitive verb Date: 14th century 1. a. to make clear or translucent b. to free from pollution or cloudiness 2. to free from accusation or blame ; exonerate, vindicate <

the opportunity to clear himself

> 3. a. to give insight to ; enlighten b. to make intelligible ; explain <

clear up the mystery

> 4. a. to free from what obstructs or is unneeded: as (1) open 1b <

clear a path

> (2) to remove unwanted growth or items from <

clear the land of timber

> (3) to rid or make a rasping noise as if ridding (the throat) of phlegm (4) to erase stored or displayed data from (as a computer or calculator) b. to empty of occupants <

clear the room

> c. disentangle <

clear a fishing line

> d. to remove from an area or place <

clear the dishes from the table

> e. transmit, dispatch 5. a. to submit for approval <

clear it with me first

> b. authorize, approve <

cleared the article for publication

>: as (1) to certify as trustworthy <

clear a person for classified information

> (2) to permit (an aircraft) to proceed usually with a specified action <

the plane was cleared to land

> 6. a. to free from obligation or encumbrance b. settle, discharge <

clear an account

> c. (1) to free (a ship or shipment) by payment of duties or harbor fees (2) to pass through (customs) d. to gain without deduction ; net <

clear a profit

> e. to put through a clearinghouse 7. a. to go over, under, or by without touching <

the ball just cleared the uprights

> b. to move through successfully ; pass <

the bill cleared the legislature

> intransitive verb 1. a. to become clear <

it cleared up quickly after the rain

> b. to go away ; vanish <

the symptoms cleared gradually

> c. sell 2. a. to obtain permission to discharge cargo b. to conform to regulations or pay requisite fees prior to leaving port 3. to pass through a clearinghouse 4. to go to an authority (as for approval) before becoming effective • clearable adjective • clearer noun IV. noun Date: 1674 1. a clear space or part 2. a high arcing shot over an opponent's head in badminton