clear up
Britishverb
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(tr) to explain or solve (a mystery, misunderstanding, etc)
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to put (a place or thing that is disordered) in order
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(intr) (of the weather) to become brighter
noun
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012-
Clarify, explain, solve, as in Let's try to clear up this misunderstanding . [Late 1600s]
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Become clear, as in After the storm, it cleared up very quickly . [Early 1600s]
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Return something to a normal condition, cure, as in This new salve will clear up your rash .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
People helped to clear up the damaged site afterwards, moving sheets of corrugated metal.
From Barron's
Members of Hungary’s governing party said they would wait for the government in Stockholm to clear up lingering disagreements before scheduling a vote in parliament.
From Seattle Times
“Obviously I’m frustrated about the timing and everything, but I’m trying to stay positive and get this thing cleared up,” he said.
From Seattle Times
These will include gritting roads; response and clear up of oil spills or debris; repair of serious defects such as manhole and pothole collapses and gully clearing and cleansing.
From BBC
National Highways have said recovery and clear up is ongoing.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.