Sc. and north. dial. Also 4 klenge, 6 cleange, clainge. [Northern var. of clense, CLEANSE; esp. Sc., where cleanse is still often so pronounced.]
1. trans. To cleanse, make clean (lit. and fig.).
a. 1300. Cursor M., 19872. Call noght comun … Þat clenged has vr lauerd. Ibid., 26373. Þan mai yee best yow clenge o sin.
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), I. 182. He gat sindry craftismen to clenge the fowseis.
1551. Turner, Herbal, I. Prol. A ij a. Clenge thy harte from all synne.
1582. Hester, Secr. Phiorav., II. xvi. 95. The Pilles clenge the head.
1588. A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., 21. Mercifullie claingit fra ye spott of sin.
1609. A. Craig, Poet. Recreat., Ded. A j. Some clenged and dressed their armour.
† b. To correct. Obs.
a. 1583. Sir J. Balfour, Practicks (1754), 38. The Clerk aucht … all his rollis throwch to reid and to clenge.
2. To clear, empty, sweep clear of, rid of.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XV. 508. The feld wes clengit cleyn.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (1858), I. 182. Thus of the Romanis neir clengit ar we.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., Table 66. Be ane Assise the cuntry sould be clenged thrise in the ȝeare of malefactors.
3. Sc. Law. ‘Legally to exculpate, to produce proof of innocence’ (Jam.); to find not guilty.
1513–75. Diurn. Occurr. (1833), 128. Becaus he saw nocht his subscriptioune…, he wald nowther clenge nor fyle him.
1592. Acts Jas. VI. (1814), 531 (Jam.). Quhatsumeuir persone clengis not of certane knawlege the personis accusit, he fyles thame.
Hence Clenger, one who or that which cleanses.
1545. Aberd. Registers, V. 19 (Jam.). He, his wif and thair clengar, quhilk ar now inclosit for this pest.
1606. in Chambers, Dom. Ann. Scot., I. 395. Sending two professional clengers … that they might deal with an infection which had fallen forth.
