Word: clear Part of Speech: verb Etymology: From Middle English clere, from Anglo-Norman cler, from Old French cler (Modern French clair), from Latin clarus. Displaced native Middle English schir (“clear, pure”) (from Old English scīr (“clear, bright”)), Middle English skere (“clear, sheer”) (from Old English scǣre and Old Norse skǣr (“sheer, clear, pure”)), Middle English smolt (“clear (of mind), serene”) (from Old English smolt (“peaceful, serene”)). Cognate with Danish, German, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish klar, Dutch klaar, French clair, Italian chiaro, Portuguese claro, Romanian clar, Spanish claro. Pronunciation: /ˈklɪə/, [ˈkʰlɪə̯], /ˈkliə/, [ˈkʰliə̯], /ˈkliː/ 1. To remove obstructions, impediments or other unwanted items from. Labels: transitive Example: Police took two hours to clear the road. Example: If you clear the table, I'll wash up. 2. To remove (items or material) so as to leave something unobstructed or open. Labels: transitive Example: Please clear all this stuff off the table. Example: The loggers came and cleared the trees. 3. To leave abruptly; to clear off or clear out. Labels: intransitive Example: Then the whole population cleared into the forest, expecting all kinds of calamities to happen, while, on the other hand, the steamer Fresleven commanded left also in a bad panic, in charge of the engineer, I believe. 4. To become free from obstruction or obscurement; to become transparent. Labels: intransitive Example: When the road cleared we continued our journey. Example: After a heavy rain, the sky cleared nicely for the evening. 5. To eliminate ambiguity or doubt from (a matter); to clarify or resolve; to clear up. Labels: transitive Example: We need to clear this issue once and for all. 6. To remove from suspicion, especially of having committed a crime. Labels: transitive Example: The court cleared the man of murder. Example: […] yet I appeal to the reader, and am sure he will clear me from Partiality. 7. To pass without interference; to miss. Labels: transitive Example: The door just barely clears the table as it closes. Example: The leaping horse easily cleared the hurdles. 8. To exceed a stated mark. Labels: transitive Example: She was the first female high jumper to clear two metres. 9. To finish or complete (a stage, challenge, or game). Labels: transitive Example: I cleared the first level in 36 seconds. 10. Of a check or financial transaction, to go through as payment; to be processed so that the money is transferred. Labels: intransitive Example: The check might not clear for a couple of days. 11. To earn a profit of; to net. Labels: transitive Example: He's been clearing seven thousand a week. Example: The profit which she cleared on the cargo […] cannot be estimated at less than a thousand guineas. 12. To approve or authorise for a particular purpose or action; to give clearance to. Labels: transitive Example: Air traffic control cleared the plane to land. Example: The marketing department has cleared the press release for publication. 13. To obtain approval or authorisation in respect of. Labels: transitive Example: I've cleared the press release with the marketing department, so go ahead and publish it. Example: The plane has been cleared for landing. 14. To obtain a clearance. Labels: intransitive Example: The steamer cleared for Liverpool today. 15. To obtain permission to use (a sample of copyrighted audio) in another track. Labels: transitive 16. To disengage oneself from incumbrances, distress, or entanglements; to become free. Example: Beſides, he that cleares at once will relapſe: for finding himſelfe out of ſtraights, he will reuert to his cuſtomes. But hee that cleareth by degrees, induceth an habite of frugality, and gaineth as well vpon his minde, as vpon his Eſtate. 17. To hit, kick, head, punch etc. (a ball, puck) away in order to defend one's goal. Labels: intransitive, transitive Example: The goalkeeper rushed forward to clear the ball. Example: A low cross came in, and Smith cleared. 18. To reset or unset; to return to an empty state or to zero. Labels: transitive Example: to clear an array; to clear a single bit (binary digit) in a value 19. To style (an element within a document) so that it is not permitted to float at a given position. Labels: transitive Example: To get the footer acting right, you need to float it and clear it on both margins. 20. To unload a firearm, or undergo an unloading procedure, in order to prevent negligent discharge; for safety reasons, to check whether one's firearm is loaded or unloaded. Labels: transitive Example: To prevent any shooting accidents, remember to clear your pistol and stay aware of your surroundings.