For forms see adj. [OE. clǽne, cléne, f. the adj.; but the original form was cláne (:—klán(j)o), whence ME. had occasionally clane, clone.]
I. Of manner: in a ‘clean’ manner.
(In many instances, this may be analysed as an adj. standing as complement of the predicate, and referring to a sb. expressed or understood: e.g., clean purged, purged so as to be clean, etc.)
† 1. Clearly, brightly. Obs.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 55. A Boll of bras burneschid full clene.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., xxix. Her countur-felit, and hur kelle were colurt ful clene.
2. In a manner free from dirt; or so as to leave no dirt, refuse or obstructions.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Lev. xxiii. 22. Ne ripe ʓe to clæne.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XVIII. 213. The feld was clengit cleyne.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. xxvii. 40. Clene confessed and repentaunt.
a. 1533. Frith, Disput. Purg. (1829), 105. One that was clean purged of his wit.
1614. Markham, Cheap Husb., I. i. (1668), 5. Stroak his neck and body clean over, leaving no sweat nor filth.
a. 1631. Donne, Selections (1840), 20. A man walks clean if in a foul way he contract but a few spots of dirt.
Mod. The room must be clean swept.
3. Cleverly, neatly, dexterously; ‘without miscarriage’ (J.).
1531. Elyot, Gov., I. xvii. (1883), I. 181. The most honorable exercise … is to ryde suerly and clene.
1597. Morley, Introd. Mus., 179. Howe to … sing cleane, expressing their wordes with deuotion and passion.
1612. Brinsley, Lud. Lit., 36. To helpe to write cleane, fast and faire together.
a. 1755. Henley, in Johnson, L. P., Broome (1820), II. 262 (J.).
| Pope came off clean with Homer; but they say | |
| Broome went before, and kindly swept the way. |
1865. trans. Spohr’s Autobiog., I. 42. Tietz played the secondo … without faltering and perfectly clean.
† 4. (?) Properly, completely. Obs.
c. 1420. Avow. Arth., xxxviii. He is … clene clad in stele.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, lviii. 197. Gerames yssued out clene armed.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 477. Came to the Dolphyns presence, which was cleane armed.
II. Of degree.
5. Without anything omitted or left; without any exception that may vitiate the statement, without qualification; wholly, entirely, quite, absolutely.
This sense naturally arose from the consideration that when a substance is taken entirely out of any vessel, etc., without leaving a particle behind, the vessel is left clean, and its cleanness is a measure of the completeness of the removal. Hence clean was naturally used with all verbs of taking, driving, or going away, of losing, and thence of finishing up, completing, or performing any action.
a. with verbs of removal, and the like. (The use of adverbs or prepositional phrases qualifying the verb introduces const. c.)
a. 1000. Cod. Dipl., I. 311. Ðæt min cynn clæne [MS. clane] ʓewite.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 7. Þei chaced out þe Bretons so clene.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sqr.’s T., 618. Al his loue is clene fro me ago.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 800. His syȝt was clene ytake hym fro.
1561. Hollybush, Hom. Apoth., 11. Somtyme is the hearing lost clene.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 146. When mery drinkers drinke of cleane.
1611. Bible, Josh. iii. 17. Vntill all the people were passed cleane ouer Iordan.
a. 1626. Bacon, Max. & Uses Com. Law, 28. The heire is cleane discharged of the burthen.
1745. P. Thomas, Jrnl. Anson’s Voy., 286. One of our great Shot … carried one of his Legs clean off.
1853. Brimley, Ess., My Novel, 273. The purpose of the book seems clean gone out of the writer’s mind.
1883. G. Lloyd, Ebb & Flow, II. 22. I believe he’s gone clean off his head.
b. with other verbs.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 3537. Clene þanne þay turnde hure mod.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., xl. And cleuet his schild clene.
1547. Homilies, Falling fr. God, II. (1859), 86. They shall clean overgrow us.
1571. Hanmer, Chron. Irel. (1633), 121. Vanquished and cleane overthrown.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. i. 50. All cleane dismayd to see so uncouth sight.
c. 1840. Clough, Early Poems, VII. 47. Food which … may be clean denied me e’en to-day.
1867. Trollope, Chron. Barset, II. lxiv. 218. Perhaps you didn’t know that he was clean ruined?
1881. Daily News, 9 July, 2/5. Spiro was clean bowled, leg stump, by the Eton captain.
1888. C. Blatherwick, Uncle Pierce, iii. in Longm. Mag., XI. 455. I felt like a man who has been clean-bowled—first ball.
c. with prepositions and adverbs, as against, without, beside, away, from, through, out, over, etc.
c. 1500. Hickscorner, in Hazl., Dodsley, I. 182. Clean fro thy wealth she will thee lift.
1500–25. Virgilius, in Thoms, Prose Rom., 22. He take a ronne and lept klene over.
1526. Tindale, Acts xxvi. 9. To do … thynges, clene agaynst the name off Jesus.
1562. Cooper, Answ. Priv. Masse (1850), 71. In this ye speak clean beside the word of God.
1587. Harrison, England, II. xiii. (1877), I. 255. The new towne standeth cleane without the limits of the old.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., I. i. 134. Roming cleane through the bounds of Asia.
1593. Bilson, Govt. Christ’s Ch., 201. Cleane against the intent of the writers.
1745. P. Thomas, Jrnl. Anson’s Voy., 282. Every Part of which was cut clean through.
1857. Livingstone, Trav., vii. 140, note (Frank Vardon), A ball … went clean through his [the lion’s] shoulder-blade.
d. with such adjectives as contrary, different, other, contradictory, impossible, wrong, etc.
1538. Starkey, England, i. 8. The wych thyng to me semyth clene contrary.
1551. Recorde, Pathw. Knowl., I. Defin., An other thyng cleane different from the depenesse.
1587. Harrison, England, II. i. (1877), I. 35. I am cleane of another mind.
a. 1591. H. Smith, Wks. (1867), II. 430. The church of Rome, being clean contradictory, doth marvellously err.
a. 1635. R. Sibbes, in Spurgeon, Treas. Dav., Ps. xxvii. 8. With God it is clean otherwise.
1839. C. Brontë, Lett., in Mrs. Gaskell, Life, 131. Your proposal has almost driven me ‘clean daft.’
1851. D. Jerrold, St. Giles, xxix. 299. She was going clean wrong.
1883. J. S. Stallybrass, trans. Grimm’s Teutonic Myth., III. Introd. p. l. To make a real portrait of Deity is clean impossible.
† 6. In this sense it was often strengthened by other words, as all clean, clean and low, quite and clean. Obs. (or dial.)
a. 1175. Cott. Hom., 231. Þat hi alle clone simle belocen were.
c. 1205. Lay., 23777. He wæs al clane Of olifantes bane.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 50. Knoute … chaced him out of Norweie quyte & clene.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 14803 (Fairf.). Alle þis cuntree … rises wiþ him quite & clene.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, X. 124. [He] saw the king distroy vp, cleyn and low His land.
c. 1440. Partonope, 5484. Youre old manerys be turned alle clene.
1587. Golding, De Mornay (1617), Pref. They break off quite and clean.
1613. Sir H. Finch, Law (1636), 105. And thereof quit and cleane to ouste the feoffee, donee, or lessee.
1832. Blackw. Mag., April, 640. Are ye quite and clean gane wrang?
