clear

clear
{{11}}clear (adj.) late 13c., "bright," from O.Fr. cler "clear" (of sight and hearing), "light, bright, shining; sparse" (12c., Mod.Fr. clair), from L. clarus "clear, loud," of sounds; in transf. use, of sights, "bright, distinct;" also "illustrious, famous, glorious" (Cf. It. chiaro, Sp. claro), from PIE *kle-ro-, from root *kele- (2) "to shout" (see CLAIM (Cf. claim) (v.)). The sense evolution involves an identification of the spreading of sound and the spreading of light (Cf. English loud, used of colors; Ger. hell "clear, bright, shining," of pitch, "distinct, ringing, high"). Of the weather, from late 14c.; of meanings or explanations, c.1300. (An O.E. word for this was sweotol "distinct, clear, evident".) Sense of "free from encumbrance," apparently nautical, developed c.1500. Phrase in the clear attested from 1715.
{{12}}clear (v.) late 14c., "to enlighten," from CLEAR (Cf. clear) (adj.). Meaning "to leap clear over" is first attested 1791. Related: Cleared; CLEARING (Cf. clearing).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • clear — [klir] adj. [ME cler < OFr < L clarus, orig., clear sounding, hence clear, bright: for IE base see CLAMOR] 1. free from clouds or mist; bright; light [a clear day] 2. free from cloudiness, muddiness, etc.; transparent or pure; not turbid [a …   English World dictionary

  • Clear — (kl[=e]r), a. [Compar. {Clearer} ( [ e]r); superl. {Clearest}.] [OE. cler, cleer, OF. cler, F. clair, fr.L. clarus, clear, bright, loud, distinct, renowned; perh. akin to L. clamare to call, E. claim. Cf. {Chanticleer}, {Clairvoyant}, {Claret},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Clear — may refer to: Contents 1 Music 2 Business 3 Technology 4 …   Wikipedia

  • clear — adj 1: unencumbered by outstanding claims or interests a search showed the title was clear 2: free from doubt or ambiguity Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 …   Law dictionary

  • clear — adj 1 Clear, transparent, translucent, lucid, pellucid, diaphanous, limpid are comparable when they mean having the property of being literally or figuratively seen through. Something is clear which is free from all such impediments to the vision …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Clear — Clear, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Cleared}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Clearing}.] 1. To render bright, transparent, or undimmed; to free from clouds. [1913 Webster] He sweeps the skies and clears the cloudy north. Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2. To free from… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • clear — ► ADJECTIVE 1) easy to perceive or understand. 2) leaving or feeling no doubt. 3) transparent; unclouded. 4) free of obstructions or unwanted objects. 5) (of a period of time) free of commitments. 6) free from disease, contamination, or guilt. 7) …   English terms dictionary

  • clear — [adj1] cloudless, bright clarion, crystal, fair, fine, halcyon, light, luminous, pleasant, rainless, shining, shiny, sunny, sunshiny, unclouded, undarkened, undimmed; concepts 525,617,627 Ant. cloudy, dark, dim, dull, fuzzy, gloomy, shadowy,… …   New thesaurus

  • clear — clear; clear·age; clear·ance; clear·ly; clear·ness; clear·starch; un·clear; clear·cole; clear·er; clear·head·ed·ly; un·clear·ly; un·clear·ness; …   English syllables

  • clear — clear, clearly The grammatical situation is similar to that in the preceding entry, with clear available as an adverb in two principal meanings, (1) ‘completely’ (They got clear away), (2) ‘in a clear manner, with clear effect’ (They spoke out… …   Modern English usage

  • clear up — {v.} 1. To make plain or clear; explain; solve. * /The teacher cleared up the harder parts of the story./ * /Maybe we can clear up your problem./ 2. To become clear. * /The weather cleared up after the storm./ 3. To cure. * /The pills cleared up… …   Dictionary of American idioms

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