2clear verb
clears; cleared; clear·ing 1 [no obj] : to become clear: such as a of weather or the sky : to change so that there are no clouds, fog, etc.
▪ The sky cleared after the rain. ▪ The weather is cloudy now, but it's clearing gradually. — see also clear up (below)
b of clouds, fog, smoke, etc. : to go away
▪ The clouds cleared (from the sky) after the rain. ▪ The morning fog gradually cleared. ▪ When the smoke cleared, we could see that the building had been completely destroyed.
c of a liquid : to change by becoming easier to see through : to become transparent or more transparent
▪ The water cleared after the mud had settled.
d of the skin : to become free of marks or spots
▪ My skin cleared when I started using the cream. — see also clear up (below)
e ◊When your head clears or when something clears your head, you become more awake or alert and are able to think in a normal way without confusion.
▪ My head cleared after a good night's sleep. = A good night's sleep cleared my head. [=I was able to think clearly again after a good night's sleep]
f ◊When your vision/eyesight clears you become able to see things correctly.
▪ When I woke up everything was blurry at first, but then my vision gradually cleared. 2 a [+ obj] : to remove something entirely from an area or place
▪ He used a shovel to clear the snow off/from the driveway. = He used a shovel to clear the driveway of snow. ▪ They cleared timber from/off the land. ▪ She cleared everything out of the closet. ▪ I'll clear those books out of the/your way. ▪ She cleared [=removed] the dishes from the table. = She cleared the table (of dishes).
b : to cause the people in an area or place to leave [+ obj] ▪ clear a room of unwanted visitors = clear unwanted visitors from a room ▪ The alarm cleared [=emptied] the room (of people). [no obj] ▪ The room cleared quickly when the alarm sounded. [=the people in the room left quickly when the alarm sounded]
c [+ obj] : to leave (an area or place) so that it is empty
▪ The police ordered the crowd to clear the area. 3 [+ obj] : to make (a path, road, open space, etc.) by removing things that block or cover an area or surface
▪ The guide cleared a path for us through the jungle. ▪ I cleared a space on the desk for my new computer. 4 [+ obj] : to go over, under, or past (something) without touching
▪ The horse cleared [=jumped over] the fence easily. ▪ The pole-vaulter cleared 15 feet on his first try. ▪ The boat's sail just/narrowly cleared [=passed under] the bottom of the bridge. 5 [+ obj] : to prove that (someone) is not guilty of a crime
▪ The investigation cleared him officially of all the charges against him. ▪ He says he's innocent and he wants an opportunity to clear himself. = He wants an opportunity to clear his name. [=to prove that he is innocent] 6 [+ obj] a : to get approval for (something)
▪ You should clear the article with your boss before trying to get it published.
b : to give approval for (something)
▪ Her boss cleared [=approved] the article for publication.
c : to say that (someone) has official permission to do something
▪ The head of the agency has cleared her to see classified information. ▪ The flight/plane/pilot was cleared to land. = The flight/plane/pilot was cleared for landing. [=the flight/plane/pilot was given official permission/clearance to land] ▪ We were cleared (to go) through customs. = We cleared customs.
d : to be passed or officially approved by (a group)
▪ The bill has finally cleared the Senate. [=the Senate has finally passed the bill] 7 [+ obj] finance a : to pay all the money that is owed for (a debt or loan)
▪ clear a debt
b : to gain (an amount of money) after paying all costs, taxes, etc.
▪ After paying our expenses we cleared almost 1,000 dollars on the deal. ▪ clear a profit
c ◊When a check clears or is cleared, it goes through the process of being reviewed and accepted by a bank, and the money for the check is taken from the bank's account.
▪ Checks can take up to four days to clear. = Checks can take up to four days to be cleared. ▪ The check failed to clear. [=the check bounced]
▪ The sky cleared after the rain. ▪ The weather is cloudy now, but it's clearing gradually. — see also clear up (below)
b of clouds, fog, smoke, etc. : to go away
▪ The clouds cleared (from the sky) after the rain. ▪ The morning fog gradually cleared. ▪ When the smoke cleared, we could see that the building had been completely destroyed.
c of a liquid : to change by becoming easier to see through : to become transparent or more transparent
▪ The water cleared after the mud had settled.
d of the skin : to become free of marks or spots
▪ My skin cleared when I started using the cream. — see also clear up (below)
e ◊When your head clears or when something clears your head, you become more awake or alert and are able to think in a normal way without confusion.
▪ My head cleared after a good night's sleep. = A good night's sleep cleared my head. [=I was able to think clearly again after a good night's sleep]
f ◊When your vision/eyesight clears you become able to see things correctly.
▪ When I woke up everything was blurry at first, but then my vision gradually cleared.
▪ He used a shovel to clear the snow off/from the driveway. = He used a shovel to clear the driveway of snow. ▪ They cleared timber from/off the land. ▪ She cleared everything out of the closet. ▪ I'll clear those books out of the/your way. ▪ She cleared [=removed] the dishes from the table. = She cleared the table (of dishes).
b : to cause the people in an area or place to leave [+ obj] ▪ clear a room of unwanted visitors = clear unwanted visitors from a room ▪ The alarm cleared [=emptied] the room (of people). [no obj] ▪ The room cleared quickly when the alarm sounded. [=the people in the room left quickly when the alarm sounded]
c [+ obj] : to leave (an area or place) so that it is empty
▪ The police ordered the crowd to clear the area.
▪ The guide cleared a path for us through the jungle. ▪ I cleared a space on the desk for my new computer.
▪ The horse cleared [=jumped over] the fence easily. ▪ The pole-vaulter cleared 15 feet on his first try. ▪ The boat's sail just/narrowly cleared [=passed under] the bottom of the bridge.
▪ The investigation cleared him officially of all the charges against him. ▪ He says he's innocent and he wants an opportunity to clear himself. = He wants an opportunity to clear his name. [=to prove that he is innocent]
▪ You should clear the article with your boss before trying to get it published.
b : to give approval for (something)
▪ Her boss cleared [=approved] the article for publication.
c : to say that (someone) has official permission to do something
▪ The head of the agency has cleared her to see classified information. ▪ The flight/plane/pilot was cleared to land. = The flight/plane/pilot was cleared for landing. [=the flight/plane/pilot was given official permission/clearance to land] ▪ We were cleared (to go) through customs. = We cleared customs.
d : to be passed or officially approved by (a group)
▪ The bill has finally cleared the Senate. [=the Senate has finally passed the bill]
▪ clear a debt
b : to gain (an amount of money) after paying all costs, taxes, etc.
▪ After paying our expenses we cleared almost 1,000 dollars on the deal. ▪ clear a profit
c ◊When a check clears or is cleared, it goes through the process of being reviewed and accepted by a bank, and the money for the check is taken from the bank's account.
▪ Checks can take up to four days to clear. = Checks can take up to four days to be cleared. ▪ The check failed to clear. [=the check bounced]
clear away [phrasal verb]
clear (something) away or clear away (something) : to remove (something) from an area or surface
▪ Just give me a moment to clear away all these papers, then we can sit down at the table. — sometimes used figuratively ▪ They had a long talk and were able to clear away [=clear up, resolve] all their misunderstandings.
▪ Just give me a moment to clear away all these papers, then we can sit down at the table. — sometimes used figuratively ▪ They had a long talk and were able to clear away [=clear up, resolve] all their misunderstandings.
clear off [phrasal verb] 1 clear off (something) or clear (something) off (something) : to remove things from (an area or surface)
▪ It took her a few minutes to clear off the dinner table. ▪ It took her a few minutes to clear the dishes off the dinner table. ▪ I'll clear off my desk so that you can use it. 2 chiefly Brit, informal a : to go away or run away : to leave quickly
▪ When we heard the night watchman, we cleared off as quickly as we could. ▪ I told him to clear off [=get lost] and leave me alone.
b clear off (a place) : to leave (a place) quickly
▪ I ordered the hikers to clear off [=get off] my land at once.
▪ It took her a few minutes to clear off the dinner table. ▪ It took her a few minutes to clear the dishes off the dinner table. ▪ I'll clear off my desk so that you can use it.
▪ When we heard the night watchman, we cleared off as quickly as we could. ▪ I told him to clear off [=get lost] and leave me alone.
b clear off (a place) : to leave (a place) quickly
▪ I ordered the hikers to clear off [=get off] my land at once.
clear out [phrasal verb] 1 : to leave quickly
▪ He cleared out without paying his rent. 2 clear (something) out or clear out (something) : to remove unwanted things from (an area or place)
▪ clear out a cluttered closet — see also clearout
▪ He cleared out without paying his rent.
▪ clear out a cluttered closet — see also clearout
clear the air — see 1air
clear the deck/decks — see 1deck
clear up [phrasal verb] 1 : to become clear: such as a of weather or the sky : to change so that there are no clouds, fog, etc.
▪ The sky cleared up after the rain. ▪ It's cloudy now, but it's clearing up gradually.
b of the skin : to become free of marks or spots
▪ My skin cleared up when I started using the cream. 2 clear up or clear (something) up or clear up (something) : to go away or cause (something) to go away
▪ My symptoms cleared up once I started using the cream. ▪ The cream has cleared up my symptoms. 3 clear (something) up or clear up (something) a : to make (something) clear by explaining it
▪ clear up a mystery
b : to cause the end of (something) by talking about it or dealing with it
▪ We need to clear up [=resolve] these misunderstandings. ▪ If we try I'm sure we can clear up these problems quickly. 4 Brit : to make an area clean or tidy
▪ Let's clear up [=clean up, tidy up] before we leave.
▪ The sky cleared up after the rain. ▪ It's cloudy now, but it's clearing up gradually.
b of the skin : to become free of marks or spots
▪ My skin cleared up when I started using the cream.
▪ My symptoms cleared up once I started using the cream. ▪ The cream has cleared up my symptoms.
▪ clear up a mystery
b : to cause the end of (something) by talking about it or dealing with it
▪ We need to clear up [=resolve] these misunderstandings. ▪ If we try I'm sure we can clear up these problems quickly.
▪ Let's clear up [=clean up, tidy up] before we leave.
clear your throat
: to make a noise in your throat for attention or to be able to speak more clearly
▪ He cleared his throat and began to speak.
▪ He cleared his throat and began to speak.
