clearing

[ kleer-ing ]

/ ˈklɪər ɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR clearing ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act of a person or thing that clears; the process of becoming clear.

a tract of land, as in a forest, that contains no trees or bushes.

the reciprocal exchange between banks of checks and drafts, and the settlement of the differences.

clearings, the total of claims settled at a clearinghouse.

Nearby words

Origin of clearing

First recorded in 1350–1400, clearing is from the Middle English word clering. See clear, -ing¹

Related formsun·clear·ing, adjective

Definition for clearing (2 of 2)

clear

[ kleer ]

/ klɪər /

adjective, clear·er, clear·est.

free from darkness, obscurity, or cloudiness; light: a clear day.

transparent; pellucid: clear water.

without discoloration, defect, or blemish: a clear complexion; a clear pane of glass.

of a pure, even color: a clear yellow.

easily seen; sharply defined: a clear outline.

distinctly perceptible to the ear; easily heard: a clear sound.

free from hoarse, harsh, or rasping qualities: a clear voice; clear as a bell.

easily understood; without ambiguity: clear, concise answers.

entirely comprehensible; completely understood: The ultimate causes of inflation may never be clear.

distinct; evident; plain: a clear case of misbehavior.

free from confusion, uncertainty, or doubt: clear thinking.

perceiving or discerning distinctly: a clear mind.

convinced; certain: He was not clear on the first point that she made but agreed with the others.

free from anything that would disturb or blame: a clear conscience.

free from suspicion of guilt or complicity: She was entirely clear of the crime until one of her accomplices turned informer.

serene; calm; untroubled: a clear brow.

free from obstructions or obstacles; open: a clear view; a clear path.

free from entanglement or contact: He kept clear of her after the argument. She managed to keep her dress clear of the mud.

without limitation or qualification; absolute: a clear victory.

free from obligation, liability, or debt: After twenty years, our house is clear of the mortgage. Municipal bonds were returning as much as 9 percent, clear of taxes.

without deduction or diminution: a clear $1000 after taxes.

freed or emptied of contents, cargo, etc.

(of tree trunks or timber) free from branches, knots, or other protruding or rough parts: The trunk was clear for 20 feet above the ground.

Phonetics.

(of an l-sound) having front-vowel resonance; situated before a vowel in the same syllable.Compare dark(def 16a).
(of a speech sound) produced without frication or aspiration.

(in cryptography) not coded or enciphered.Compare plaintext.

bright; shining: a clear flame.

Obsolete. illustrious.

adverb, clear·er, clear·est.

in a clear or distinct manner; clearly.

so as not to be in contact with or near; away (often followed by of): Stand clear of the closing doors.

entirely; completely; clean: to cut a piece clear off; to climb clear to the top; to run clear off the road.

verb (used with object)

to remove people or objects from (usually followed by of): to clear a courtroom of photographers; to clear the table of dishes.

to remove (people or objects) (usually followed by from): to clear the photographers from the courtroom; to clear the dishes from the table.

to make clear, transparent, or pellucid; free from cloudiness or impurities: to clear a liquid by means of a filter.

to make free of confusion, doubt, or uncertainty: He spoke to his supervisor to clear his mind about their working relationship.

to make understandable or lucid; free from ambiguity or obscurity: She rephrased the report in order to clear the essential points.

to make (a path, road, etc.) by removing any obstruction: He had to cut away the underbrush to clear a path.

to eat all the food on: to clear one's plate.

to relieve (the throat) of some obstruction, as phlegm, by forcing air through the larynx, usually producing a rasping sound.

to make a similar rasping noise in (the throat), as to express disapproval or to attract attention.

to remove from (the brow) any traces of tension or anxiety, as folds or wrinkles.

to free of anything defamatory or discrediting: to clear one's name.

to free from suspicion, accusation, or imputation of guilt; prove or declare innocent: The jury cleared the defendant of the charge.

to remove instructions or data from (a computer, calculator, etc.).

to pass by or over without contact or entanglement: The ship cleared the reef. The fisherman cleared his line.

to pass through or away from: The ship cleared the harbor. The bill cleared the Senate.

to pass (checks or other commercial paper) through a clearinghouse.

(of mail, telephone calls, etc.) to process, handle, reroute, etc.: The dispatcher clears hundreds of items each day.

to free from debt: Just a few dollars more would clear him. The widow had to borrow money to clear her husband's estate.

to gain as clear profit: to clear $1000 in a transaction.

to pay (a debt) in full.

to receive authorization before taking action on: You'll have to clear your plan with headquarters.

to give clearance to; authorize: The chairperson has to clear our speeches before the meeting.

to authorize (a person, agency, etc.) to use classified information, documents, etc.: He has finally been cleared for highly classified information.

to remove trees, buildings, or other obstructions from (land), as for farming or construction.

to free (a ship, cargo, etc.) from legal detention at a port by satisfying customs and other requirements.

to try or otherwise dispose of (the cases awaiting court action): to clear the docket.

(of a commodity) to buy up or sell out the existing supply of.

Skin Diving. to drain or expel unwanted water in: to clear a snorkel by sharp exhalations; to clear a regulator and face mask while underwater.

Bridge. to establish one or more winning cards in (a given suit) by leading the suit until all the outstanding cards have been drawn: He cleared the heart suit before attacking spades.

verb (used without object)

to become clear.

to exchange checks and bills, and settle balances, as in a clearinghouse.

to become free from doubt, anxiety, misunderstanding, etc.: His mind cleared when he heard the truth.

to pass an authority for review, approval, etc.: The bill must clear through the assembly before it becomes legal.

to remove dishes, food, etc., from a table following a meal: Is it my turn to clear?

to remove previously inserted instructions or data from a computer, calculator, typewriter, or the like.

Nautical.

to comply with customs and other requirements legally imposed on entering or leaving a port (often followed by in or out).
to leave port after having complied with such requirements.

(of a commodity for sale) to sell out; become bought out: Wheat cleared rapidly.

noun

a clear or unobstructed space.

plaintext.

a piece of clear lumber.

Verb Phrases

clear away/off,

to remove in order to make room.
to leave; escape: We were warned to clear off before the floods came.
to disappear; vanish: When the smoke cleared away, we saw that the house was in ruins.

clear out,

to remove the contents of: Clear out the closet.
to remove; take away: Clear out your clothes from the closet.
to go away, especially quickly or abruptly.
to drive or force out: The police cleared out the pickets by force.

clear up,

to make clear; explain; solve.
to put in order; tidy up.
to become better or brighter, as the weather.

Origin of clear

1250–1300; Middle English clere < Anglo-French, Old French cler < Latin clārus

SYNONYMS FOR clear

1 fair, cloudless, sunny.

2 translucent, limpid, crystalline, diaphanous.

8 intelligible, comprehensible, lucid, plain, perspicuous.

10 obvious, manifest, apparent, unmistakable.

17 unimpeded, unobstructed.

18 unhampered, unencumbered.

33 clarify, purify, refine.

42 exonerate, absolve, vindicate, excuse.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR clear ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR clear

1 cloudy, dark.

8, 10 obscure.

13 uncertain.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR clear ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

clear·a·ble, adjectiveclear·ness, nounhalf-clear, adjectivehalf-clear·ly, adverb

pre·clear, verb (used with object)un·clear, adjectiveun·clear·ly, adverbun·clear·a·ble, adjectiveun·cleared, adjectivewell-cleared, adjective

Synonym study

3. See clean.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for clearing

Not only will it immediately save lives, but the threat of jail time has a way of clearing the mind on subjects such as these.
Why Parents Keep Shooting Their Kids|Cliff Schecter|June 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A morning mist hung over everything, clearing occasionally to reveal lone fishermen.
A Little Too Off the Beaten Path in Burma|Katya Cengel|June 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was clearing the decks for the president who had defeated Hillary in the 2008 primaries.
No One’s Going to Challenge Hillary Clinton|Robert Shrum|May 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Clearing the river of legal commercial traffic, Naw Kham now had total control over what and who moved on the water.
How China Used Drones to Capture a Notorious Burmese Drug Lord|Brendon Hong|April 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Politically, this new report “clearing” Chris Christie is anticlimactic and largely irrelevant.
Christie, Not Quite Dead Yet|Michael Tomasky|March 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The fence begins to melt as if in a haze and the logic of clearing this vast expanse of earth and rock escapes him.
The Land of Look Behind|Paul Cameron Brown
I think we have the means of clearing Archie, when we can see how to use them.
The Three Brides|Charlotte M. Yonge
The task set for Pershing's men was in theory almost as difficult as clearing the Argonne Forest.
Our Army at the Front|Heywood Broun
The heavy wagon came out into the clearing, and drew near to the one small house, which was standing within it.
The Boys of Old Monmouth|Everett T. Tomlinson
A cell in this condition can be repaired by removing the element and clearing the short circuit.
The Automobile Storage Battery|O. A. Witte

British Dictionary definitions for clearing (1 of 2)

clearing

/ (ˈklɪərɪŋ) /

noun

an area with few or no trees or shrubs in wooded or overgrown land

British Dictionary definitions for clearing (2 of 2)

clear

/ (klɪə) /

adjective

free from darkness or obscurity; bright

(of weather) free from dullness or clouds

transparentclear water

even and pure in tone or colourclear blue

without discoloration, blemish, or defecta clear skin

easy to see or hear; distinct

free from doubt or confusionhis instructions are not clear

(postpositive) certain in the mind; sureare you clear?

(in combination) perceptive, alertclear-headed

evident or obviousit is clear that he won't come now

(of sounds or the voice) not harsh or hoarse

serene; calm

without qualification or limitation; completea clear victory

free of suspicion, guilt, or blamea clear conscience

free of obstruction; opena clear passage

free from debt or obligation

(of money, profits, etc) without deduction; net

emptied of freight or cargo

(of timber) having a smooth, unblemished surface

Also: in clear (of a message, etc) not in code

Also: light phonetics denoting an (l) in whose articulation the main part of the tongue is brought forward giving the sound of a front-vowel timbre

showjumping (of a round) ridden without any fences being knocked down or any points being lost

adverb

in a clear or distinct manner

completely or utterly

(postpositive often foll by of) not in contact (with); freestand clear of the gates

noun

a clear space

another word for clearance

in the clear

free of suspicion, guilt, or blame
sport able to receive a pass without being tackled

verb

to make or become free from darkness, obscurity, etc

(intr)

(of the weather) to become free from dullness, fog, rain, etc
(of mist, fog, etc) to disappear

(tr) to free from impurity or blemish

(tr) to free from doubt or confusionto clear one's mind

(tr) to rid of objects, obstructions, etc

(tr) to make or form (a path, way, etc) by removing obstructions

(tr) to free or remove (a person or thing) from something, such as suspicion, blame, or guilt

(tr) to move or pass by or over without contact or involvementhe cleared the wall easily

(tr) to rid (the throat) of phlegm or obstruction

(tr) to make or gain (money) as profit

(tr often foll by off) to discharge or settle (a debt)

(tr) to free (a debtor) from obligation

(intr) (of a cheque) to pass through one's bank and be charged against one's account

banking to settle accounts by exchanging (commercial documents) in a clearing house

to permit (ships, aircraft, cargo, passengers, etc) to unload, disembark, depart, etc, after fulfilling the customs and other requirements, or (of ships, etc) to be permitted to unload, etc

to obtain or give (clearance)

(tr) to obtain clearance from

(tr) microscopy to make (specimens) transparent by immersion in a fluid such as xylene

(tr) to permit (a person, company, etc) to see or handle classified information

(tr) military

to achieve transmission of (a signalled message) and acknowledgment of its receipt at its destination
to decode (a message, etc)

(tr) sport to hit, kick, carry, or throw (the ball) out of the defence area

(tr) computing to remove data from a storage device and replace it with particular characters that usually indicate zero

(tr) NZ to remove (trees, scrub, etc) from land

clear the air See air (def. 11)

clear the decks to prepare for action, as by removing obstacles from a field of activity or combat

Derived Formsclearable, adjectiveclearer, nounclearness, noun

Word Origin for clear

C13 clere, from Old French cler, from Latin clārus clear, bright, brilliant, illustrious

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

Word Origin and History for clearing (1 of 4)

clearing

late 14c., "action of making clear," verbal noun from clear (v.). Meaning "land cleared of wood" is from 1818, American English.

Word Origin and History for clearing (1 of 4)

clear

adj.

late 13c., "bright," from Old French cler "clear" (of sight and hearing), "light, bright, shining; sparse" (12c., Modern French clair), from Latin clarus "clear, loud," of sounds; figuratively "manifest, plain, evident," in transferred use, of sights, "bright, distinct;" also "illustrious, famous, glorious" (source of Italian chiaro, Spanish claro), from PIE *kle-ro-, from root *kele- (2) "to shout" (see claim (v.)).

The sense evolution involves an identification of the spreading of sound and the spreading of light (cf. English loud, used of colors; German hell "clear, bright, shining," of pitch, "distinct, ringing, high"). Of complexion, from c.1300; of the weather, from late 14c.; of meanings or explanations, "manifest to the mind, comprehensible," c.1300. (An Old English 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. Clear-sighted is from 1580s (clear-eyed is from 1529s); clear-headed is from 1709.

Word Origin and History for clearing (2 of 4)

clear

late 14c., "to fill with light," from clear (adj.). Of weather, from late 14c. Meaning "make clear in the mind" is mid-15c., as is sense of "to remove what clouds." Meaning "to prove innocent" is from late 15c. Meaning "get rid of" is from 1530s.

Meaning "to free from entanglement" is from 1590s; that of "pass without entanglement" is from 1630s. Meaning "to leap clear over" is first attested 1791. Meaning "get approval for" (a proposal, etc.) is from 1944; meaning "establish as suitable for national security work" is from 1948. Related: Cleared; clearing.

To clear (one's) throat is from 1881; earlier clear (one's) voice (1701). To clear out "depart, leave" (1825), perhaps is from the notion of ships satisfying customs, harbor regulations, etc., then setting sail. To clear up is from 1620s, of weather; 1690s as "make clear to the mind." Clear the decks is what is done on a ship before it moves.

Word Origin and History for clearing (3 of 4)

clear

adv.

"quite, entirely, wholly," c.1300, from clear (adj.).

Idioms and Phrases with clearing

clear

In addition to the idioms beginning with clear

clear as a bell
clear as crystal
clear as mud
clear away
clear off
clear one's name
clear out
clear the air
clear the decks
clear the table
clear up
clear with

also see:

coast is clear
free and clear
have a clear conscience
in the clear
loud and clear
out of a clear blue sky
see one's way (clear)
steer clear of

clearing

noun

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of clearing

Definition for clearing (2 of 2)

clear

adjective, clear·er, clear·est.

adverb, clear·er, clear·est.

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Verb Phrases

Origin of clear

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for clearing

British Dictionary definitions for clearing (1 of 2)

clearing

noun

British Dictionary definitions for clearing (2 of 2)

clear

adjective

adverb

noun

verb

Word Origin for clear

Word Origin and History for clearing (1 of 4)

clearing

Word Origin and History for clearing (1 of 4)

clear

Word Origin and History for clearing (2 of 4)

clear

Word Origin and History for clearing (3 of 4)

clear

Idioms and Phrases with clearing

clear