clean

Word family  noun cleaner cleaning cleanliness clean cleanser adjective clean ≠ unclean verb clean cleanse adverb clean cleanly

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Law, Drug culture

clean1 /kliːn/ ●●● S2 W2 adjective (comparative cleaner, superlative cleanest)  1  WITHOUT DIRTCLEANnot dirty 不脏的 without any dirt, marks etc 清洁的，干净的 OPP dirty Are your hands clean? 你的手干净吗？ clean towels 干净的毛巾 Make sure you keep the wound clean. 一定要保持伤口清洁。 Wipe that sink clean when you’re done. 洗完后将水槽擦干净。 As usual, she left her room clean and tidy before going to school. 和往常一样，她去上学之前把房间收拾得干干净净。 a spotlessly clean kitchen 一尘不染的厨房 I want you to get those plates as clean as a whistle. 我要你把那些盘子擦洗得干干净净。 →5  See picture of wipe 擦, dust 除尘, wipe up 擦干 ... →4  See picture on 见图 Page A3 Cleaning 清洁；打扫2  HABITS/APPEARANCECLEANpeople/animals 人/动物 having a clean appearance and habits 整洁的；爱清洁的 Cats are naturally clean. 猫天生爱干净。3  AIR/WATERenvironment 环境CLEAN containing or producing nothing that is dirty or harmful 纯净的；无病菌的 → cleanlyclean air/water/energy etc the Clean Air Act 《洁净空气法案》 cleaner fuels 更洁净的燃料► see thesaurus at environmentally friendly4  FAIR/LEGALfair or legal 公正的或合法的 a) FAIRdone in a fair or legal way 公平的；不作弊的；合法的 OPP dirty a clean fight 公正的拳赛 b) SCLshowing that you have followed the rules 无过失[犯罪]记录的 a clean driving licence 无违规记录的驾驶执照 He’s got a clean record. 他没有犯罪记录。 c) WITHOUT WEAPONS/DRUGS[not before noun] informalSAFENOT HAVE not hiding any weapons or illegal drugs 未私藏[携带]枪支的；未私藏[携带]毒品的 They searched him, but he was clean. 他们搜了他的身，但未发现违禁品。 d) NOT HAVING DRUGSMDD[not before noun] no longer taking illegal drugs 不再吸毒的 Dave’s been clean for two years now. 戴夫到现在已经有两年没沾毒品了。5  JOKES/HUMOURnot offensive 无挑衅意味的GOOD/MORAL talk, jokes, behaviour etc that are clean are not offensive or about sex 无挑衅性的；无色情意味的 OPP dirty Oh, don’t get mad – it’s just good clean fun! 噢，不要生气——这不过是个正经的玩笑嘛！ Keep it clean (=do not offend people with what you say). 说话干净点。clean living (=a way of life which is healthy and moral) 健康的生活6  come clean informalADMIT to finally tell the truth about something you have been hiding 和盘托出，说出实情come clean about The government should come clean about its plans. 政府应该把计划的实情公之于众。7. make a clean breast of it ADMITto admit that you have done something wrong so that you no longer feel guilty 和盘托出，坦白承认8  a clean break SUDDENLYa complete and sudden separation from a person, organization, or situation 〔与某人或机构等〕彻底决裂，一刀两断 Den left the next day, needing to make a clean break. 为了不再有牵扯，德恩第二天就走了。9  clean sheet/slate MISTAKEa record of someone’s work, behaviour, performance etc that shows they have not done anything wrong or made any mistakes 无过错的记录；清白的历史 Jed looked forward to starting life again with a clean sheet. 杰德期望清清白白地重新做人。 Lewis has kept a clean sheet in every game (=not let the other team score). 刘易斯在所有比赛中从未让对手得分。10  clean hands if a person, government, organization etc has clean hands, they have done something in a fair or legal way 公正合法，清白 Neither side is coming to the negotiating table with completely clean hands. 坐到谈判桌前的双方都不是清清白白的。11. PAPERpaper 纸USE something a piece of paper that is clean has not yet been used 未用过的，新的 SYN fresh12  SMOOTHsmooth 平滑的FLAT having a smooth or regular edge or surface 表面光滑的；边缘整齐的 → cleanly a clean cut 整齐的切口 Use a clean simple typeface for signs. 标示牌要选用整齐简洁的字体。13  a clean bill of health HEALTHYa report that says you are healthy or that a machine or building is safe 健康状况良好证明书；机器[建筑物]状况良好证明 Inspectors gave the factory a clean bill of health. 检查人员证实该工厂状况良好。14  a clean sweep a) WINa very impressive victory in a competition, election etc 〔在比赛、选举等中〕大获全胜a clean sweep for All the polls had pointed to a clean sweep for the Democrats. 所有民意调查都显示民主党将大获全胜。 Hopes that the French would make a clean sweep at the Games were dashed. 法国在运动会上大获全胜的希望破灭了。 b) CHANGE/MAKE something DIFFERENTa complete change in a company or organization, often by removing people 〔公司或机构的〕大换班，大改变15  taste 味道 having a fresh pleasant taste 〔口味〕清新的 Add a little lemon juice to give the pasta a cool clean taste. 加一点柠檬汁使意大利面食味道爽口清新。16. clean copy MISTAKEa piece of writing without mistakes or other marks written on it 无错误的文稿；誊清稿17  MOVEMENTGOOD ATmovement 动作 a clean movement in sport is skilful and exact 〔体育运动〕动作干净利落的 He steadied his arm, hoping for a clean shot. 他稳住手臂，希望来个漂亮的投球。 —cleanness noun [uncountable] → clean-cut, → keep your nose clean at nose1(9)n COLLOCATIONSnounsclean clothesHe had a shower and changed into clean clothes.a clean shirt/sheet/towel etcWhere are all my clean socks?clean handsMake sure you have clean hands before you eat.verbskeep something cleanYou should always keep your kitchen clean.wipe something clean (=use a cloth to clean a surface)He started to wipe the blackboard clean.sweep/scrub something clean (=use a brush to clean something)She quickly swept the floor clean.leave something cleanPlease leave the apartment clean when you go.adverbsspotlessly/scrupulously clean (=very clean)Hospitals must be kept scrupulously clean.squeaky clean (=completely clean)I like my hair to be squeaky clean.phrasesnice and clean (=clean)Their job is to keep the streets nice and clean.clean and tidy especially British English:I insist my children keep their rooms clean and tidy.neat and clean especially American English:Her kids were always neat and clean.clean as a whistle (=very clean)The place was clean as a whistle. THESAURUSclean without any dirt or marks 清洁的，干净的They need clean water to drink. 他们需要清洁的饮用水。I don’t have any clean clothes. 我没有干净的衣服。pure water or air that is pure does not contain any dirt, pollution, or bacteria 〔水或空气〕纯净的，洁净的I breathed in the pure mountain air. 我呼吸着山里纯净的空气。sterile /ˈsteraɪl $ -rəl/ completely clean, with no bacteria, and therefore safe for medical or scientific use 无菌的，消毒过的Place a sterile bandage on the wound. 在伤口上贴一块无菌绷带。nsterile needlesspotless completely clean – used mainly about rooms and clothes 极干净的，非常干净的〔主要用于指房间和衣服〕Her kitchen is always spotless. 她的厨房总是一尘不染。pristine /ˈprɪstiːn/ completely clean and new-looking 干净的；簇新的He wore a pristine white shirt. 他穿着一件簇新的白衬衣。immaculate as clean and tidy as it is possible to be 极其整洁的The soldiers’ uniforms have to be immaculate. 军服必须整洁干净。spick and span [not before noun] informal clean and tidy, especially after having just been cleaned 清清爽爽的,整洁干净的By the end of the day, the whole place was spick and span. 到了晚上，整个地方就整洁干净。

Examples from the Corpus

clean• He's been asked to tell some jokes in his speech but he's got to keep it clean.• I couldn't get the tiles any cleaner.• Our hotel room was lovely and clean.• A large house is difficult to keep clean.• Are your hands clean?• Clean air and water is a necessity of life.• They should be soft, clean, and even colored.• Everyone wants a clean and honest election.• He smelt clean and I shut my eyes.• Cats are very clean animals.• clean-burning natural gas• The Emperor, however, envisaged a city which was not only light and clean but also full of air.• The graphics in Duke are cleaner, but they have a cartoon-like feel to them.• Fortunately, the glass made a clean cut on his leg.• Gene always has the cleanest desk in the office.• Drivers with clean driving records pay less in insurance.• Nothing more dramatic than a cleaner environment.• Dave's been clean for over a year now.• Monica is what I would call a clean freak.• Join us tomorrow night for an evening of good clean fun.• the clean lines of Morrison's drawings• Instead, they should provide the user with clean needles and information to help avoid infection.• I'll put some clean sheets on the bed.• He changed into a clean shirt.• the car's clean style• a clean towel• This results in a clean, undistorted image which looks like it's come out of a laser printer rather than a fax machine.keep ... clean• However, there may be a small minority of residents who refuse to be kept clean.• Mr Kaifu has agreed to reshaping his cabinet, but has insisted on keeping it clean.• They rarely look anywhere near as good as the real thing, but they will be cheaper, and easier to keep clean.• Utility companies, under government regulation, might do a better job of keeping the air clean.• To this end, he had taught his deputies that keeping their guns cleaned and oiled meant never having to use them.• If you wear an overall, keep it clean and tidy.• Her feeding tube delivers formula 20 hours a day and must be kept clean to prevent infection.• The streets are kept clean with giant brushing and sprinkling machines.clean air/water/energy etc• Such procedures should aim to ensure efficient operation and the provision of fresh, clean air.• Ultraviolet light, hydrogen peroxide and ozone assure crystal-clear, clean water.• When Abudah had made his way through this slimy cavern he emerged upon a mountain top in the clean air.• Where is there more opportunity to enjoy the elemental values of living, bright sun and clean air and space?• Environmentalists have spread the alarm about clean air and water.• Local government has not been able to supply clean water from surface sources.• When the whole rotor system is spinning in clean air, it suddenly lifts very strongly-translational lift.• Life expectancy is only 58 years and 25 percent of the people have no access to clean water supplies.clean record• But Tunstall's solicitor told the court the crimes were an uncharacteristic blemish on an otherwise clean record.• Have we left a clean record behind?good clean fun• And among the other questions this month: Is bathroom humour just good clean fun?• It's all good clean fun.• So why does this free entertainment not qualify for the description of good clean fun?• But for the good clean fun of international football, they would have gone on being indifferent to those others.

Related topics: Cooking

ldoce_801_pclean2 ●●● S1 W3 verb  1  [intransitive, transitive]WASHCLEAN to remove dirt from something by rubbing or washing （把…）弄干净，（使）清洁，清理 → cleanse Your shoes need cleaning. 你的鞋该刷一刷了。 Is it easy to clean? 清理起来容易吗？clean something down/off We clean the machines down at the end of each day. 每天下班前我们都要把这些机器彻底清理干净。clean something off/from something He used a tissue to clean his fingerprints off the gun. 他用一块纸巾擦去了自己留在枪上的指纹。 → dry-clean, → spring-clean at spring-cleaning2  [intransitive, transitive]CLEAN to clean a building or other people’s houses as your job 〔作为工作〕打扫卫生，把…打扫干净 Anne comes in to clean twice a week. 安妮每周来清扫两次。3. clean your teeth British English to make your teeth clean using a toothbrush and toothpaste 刷牙 SYN American English brush your teeth4  [transitive]DFC to remove the inside parts of an animal or bird before cooking it 给〔准备烹调的动物、家禽等〕开膛取出内脏 Harry caught the fish and cleaned them himself. 哈里把鱼捉上来自己动手清理内脏。5. clean your plate EATto eat all your food 吃完盘子里的食物6 clean somebody/something out phrasal verb a) clean something ↔ outCLEAN to make the inside of a room, house etc clean or tidy 把〔房间、屋子等的内部〕打扫干净 We’d better clean out the attic this week. 我们本周最好清扫一下阁楼。b) clean somebody out informalEXPENSIVE if something expensive cleans you out, you spend so much money on it that you now have very little left 用尽某人的钱财 Our trip to Paris cleaned me out. 我们的巴黎之行把我的钱都用光了。c) clean somebody/something out informalSTEAL to steal everything from a place, or all of someone’s possessions 把某人的财物/某处盗窃一空7 clean up phrasal verb a) CLEANto make a place completely clean and tidy 打扫干净；清理 We spent all Saturday morning cleaning up. 我们整个星期六上午都在进行打扫。clean something ↔ up plans to clean up the beaches 清理海滩的计划 after John always expects other people to clean up after him (=to make a place clean after he has used it). 约翰总是指望别人跟在他后面帮他打扫。b) WASHto wash yourself after you have got very dirty 把〔身体〕洗干净clean yourself up Let me just go clean myself up. 让我去洗一洗。 Dad’s upstairs getting cleaned up. 爸爸在楼上洗澡。c) clean up your act informalBEHAVE to start behaving sensibly and responsibly 改掉不良行为 Some companies could face heavy fines if they fail to clean up their act. 一些公司如果再不纠正不良做法就要面临重罚。d) informalPROFIT to win a lot of money or make a lot of money in a business deal 赢得一大笔钱；赚大钱 He cleaned up at the races yesterday. 他昨天在赛马场上赢了一大笔。e) GOOD/MORAL clean something ↔ up to improve moral standards in a place or organization 肃清某事，整顿某事 It’s high time British soccer cleaned up its image. 英国足球界该改善一下自己的形象了。 → clean-up THESAURUSclean to remove dirt from something 清洁，把…弄干净I need to clean the car. 我得洗车了。Clean the mud off your shoes. 把你鞋子上的泥巴擦掉。wash to clean something with water and usually soap 洗，把…洗干净She’s washing her hair. 她正在洗头。There’s nowhere to wash your clothes. 没有地方洗衣服。wipe to clean a surface with a cloth, often a wet cloth 〔用湿布〕把…擦干净Wipe the worktop when you’ve finished cooking. 做完饭以后把台面擦干净。scrub to wash something by rubbing it hard, especially with a brush 刷洗They made her scrub the floor. 他们让她刷地板。rinse to remove dirt from something using water, especially after washing it with soap 〔尤在用肥皂洗过后〕冲洗Rinse your hair thoroughly after shampooing it. 头发用过洗发液后要彻底冲洗干净。cleanse formal to clean your skin, using water or a special cream 〔用水或专门的乳液〕清洁〔皮肤〕There are many products available for cleansing your skin. 有许多产品可供清洁肌肤。bathe /beɪð/ to clean a wound or a part of your body with water 清洗〔伤口或某个身体部位〕Bathe the cut and put a plaster on it. 清洗伤口，敷上创可贴。do the dishes (also do the washing-up British English) to wash plates and pans after a meal 洗餐具Who’s going to help me do the dishes? 谁来帮我洗碗？do the laundry (also do the washing British English) to wash clothes 洗衣服On Tuesdays, he does the washing. 他逢星期二洗衣服。→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

clean• She's busy cleaning.• The princess: She was very good and cleaned and cooked for her brothers in their cottage even though she was royalty.• Make sure you clean behind the stove.• Simply place the whole cleaned fish in a greased pan.• Manion cleaned his desk and answered a few emails before leaving for the day.• There was mud all over the carpet, and it took me a long time to clean it up.• I always clean my teeth last thing at night.• We've hired a maid to clean our house.• Where's that stuff you use for cleaning the bathtub?• I need to clean the bathtub.• Tony was cleaning the inside of his car.• How often do you clean the kitchen?• I wish I'd stayed at home to clean the oven after all.• I usually clean the windows about once a month.• I clean the windows every Saturday.• Sloan had been glancing at his watch and reminding them that he had to clean up the house.need cleaning• The finer the foam, or the smaller the cartridge, the more often it will need cleaning.• A failure to relight suggests a blocked jet, which needs cleaning and adjusting, or a failed thermocouple which needs replacing.• Don't forget, those of you with ribbers, these need cleaning and oiling as well, as does the lace carriage.• Like most buildings in Cracow, the church escaped war damage, but badly needs cleaning and repair.• This means the aquarium will not need cleaning as often as a less densely planted one.• All the windows and paintwork need cleaning much more often than normal.• Printing in black tends to be the least expensive as it does not mean that the machinery needs cleaning of black ink.clean3 adverb  1 EMPHASIZEused to emphasize the fact that an action or movement is complete and thorough 〔行动或动作〕彻底地，完全地clean away/through/out The thieves got clean away with $300,000 worth of equipment. 窃贼偷了价值30万美元的设备后逃之夭夭。 The car hit her with such force that she was lifted clean off the ground. 汽车撞击力非常大，把她完全撞飞了。 Sorry, I clean forgot (=completely forgot) your birthday. 对不起，我把你的生日忘得干干净净。

Examples from the Corpus

clean• I clean forgot to put them in!clean away/through/out• Lady, you want this shit in your basement cleaned out?• To waste them cleaning out a drawer of plastic carrier bags instead of scrambling up lofty pinnacles is something you may regret.• All that money, all that cleaning out, all that careful feeding for nothing.• On this day, we brought our own brooms, sponges and soap to wash and clean out our classrooms.• That evening one of the Corporals made me clean out the crow's cage.• Examples might include cleaning out the garage or picking up litter in the neighborhood.• The hotel manager immediately cleaned out the sewer, and there was no return of the mysterious disease.• Employees could not even clean out their drawers, water the plants or retrieve the family snapshots from their desks.clean4 noun [singular] British English  1 CLEANa process in which you clean something 清理，打扫 The car needs a good clean. 这辆车需要好好洗一洗。

Examples from the Corpus

clean• Her husband does most of the cleaning.• I spent the whole weekend cleaning.From Longman Business Dictionarycleanclean1 /kliːn/ adjective1done in a fair or legal way, or showing that you have followed the rules or the lawIn ethical investment, investors try to buy shares in companies with a clean record.His clean credit history will give him access to bank financing.2clean products or industrial methods do not damage the environmentSYN GREENclean vehicles such as electric cars and natural-gas busesclean coal technologycleanclean2 verb → clean out → clean up→ See Verb tableOrigin clean1 Old English clæne

clean1 adjective →10-17
→n COLLOCATIONS1 →THESAURUS1clean2 verb →THESAURUS1clean3 adverbclean4 nounLDOCE OnlineChinese  

any without marks etc dirt, Business Corpus

clean

I

clean¹ S2 W2 /kliːn/ adjective (comparative cleaner, superlative cleanest)1.  NOT DIRTY without any dirt, marks etc
   OPP  dirty:
    Are your hands clean?
    clean towels
    Make sure you keep the wound clean.
    Wipe that sink clean when you’re done.
    As usual, she left her room clean and tidy before going to school.
    a spotlessly clean kitchen
    I want you to get those plates as clean as a whistle.
2.  PEOPLE/ANIMALS having a clean appearance and habits:
    Cats are naturally clean.
3.  ENVIRONMENT containing or producing nothing that is dirty or harmful ⇨ cleanly
    clean air/water/energy etc
    the Clean Air Act
    cleaner fuels
4.  FAIR OR LEGAL
  a. done in a fair or legal way
   OPP  dirty:
    a clean fight
  b. showing that you have followed the rules:
    a clean driving licence
    He’s got a clean record.
  c. [not before noun] informal not hiding any weapons or illegal drugs:
    They searched him, but he was clean.
  d. [not before noun] no longer taking illegal drugs:
    Dave’s been clean for two years now.
5.  NOT OFFENSIVE talk, jokes, behaviour etc that are clean are not offensive or about sex
   OPP  dirty:
    Oh, don’t get mad – it’s just good clean fun!
    Keep it clean (=do not offend people with what you say).
    clean living (=a way of life which is healthy and moral)
6. come clean informal to finally tell the truth about something you have been hiding
    come clean about
    The government should come clean about its plans.
7. make a clean breast of it to admit that you have done something wrong so that you no longer feel guilty
8. a clean break
  a complete and sudden separation from a person, organization, or situation:
    Den left the next day, needing to make a clean break.
9. clean sheet/slate a record of someone’s work, behaviour, performance etc that shows they have not done anything wrong or made any mistakes:
    Jed looked forward to starting life again with a clean sheet.
    Lewis has kept a clean sheet in every game (=not let the other team score).
10. clean hands if a person, government, organization etc has clean hands, they have done something in a fair or legal way:
    Neither side is coming to the negotiating table with completely clean hands.
11.  PAPER a piece of paper that is clean has not yet been used
   SYN  fresh
12.  SMOOTH having a smooth or regular edge or surface ⇨ cleanly:
    a clean cut
    Use a clean simple typeface for signs.
13. a clean bill of health a report that says you are healthy or that a machine or building is safe:
    Inspectors gave the factory a clean bill of health.
14. a clean sweep
  a. a very impressive victory in a competition, election etc
    a clean sweep for
    All the polls had pointed to a clean sweep for the Democrats.
    Hopes that the French would make a clean sweep at the Games were dashed.
  b. a complete change in a company or organization, often by removing people
15.  TASTE having a fresh pleasant taste:
    Add a little lemon juice to give the pasta a cool clean taste.
16. clean copy a piece of writing without mistakes or other marks written on it
17.  MOVEMENT a clean movement in sport is skilful and exact:
    He steadied his arm, hoping for a clean shot.
—cleanness noun [uncountable]
⇨ clean-cut, ⇨ keep your nose clean at nose¹(9)
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ nouns
   ▪ clean clothes He had a shower and changed into clean clothes.
   ▪ a clean shirt/sheet/towel etc Where are all my clean socks?
   ▪ clean hands Make sure you have clean hands before you eat.
■ verbs
   ▪ keep something clean You should always keep your kitchen clean.
   ▪ wipe something clean (=use a cloth to clean a surface) He started to wipe the blackboard clean.
   ▪ sweep/scrub something clean (=use a brush to clean something) She quickly swept the floor clean.
   ▪ leave something clean Please leave the apartment clean when you go.
■ adverbs
   ▪ spotlessly/scrupulously clean (=very clean) Hospitals must be kept scrupulously clean.
   ▪ squeaky clean (=completely clean) I like my hair to be squeaky clean.
■ phrases
   ▪ nice and clean (=clean) Their job is to keep the streets nice and clean.
   ▪ clean and tidy especially BrE: I insist my children keep their rooms clean and tidy.
   ▪ neat and clean especially AmE: Her kids were always neat and clean.
   ▪ clean as a whistle (=very clean) The place was clean as a whistle.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ clean without any dirt or marks: They need clean water to drink. | I don’t have any clean clothes.
   ▪ pure water or air that is pure does not contain any dirt, pollution, or bacteria: I breathed in the pure mountain air.
   ▪ sterile /ˈsteraɪl $ -rəl/ completely clean, with no bacteria, and therefore safe for medical or scientific use: Place a sterile bandage on the wound. | sterile needles
   ▪ spotless completely clean – used mainly about rooms and clothes: Her kitchen is always spotless.
   ▪ pristine /ˈprɪstiːn/ completely clean and new-looking: He wore a pristine white shirt.
   ▪ immaculate as clean and tidy as it is possible to be: The soldiers’ uniforms have to be immaculate.
   ▪ spick and span [not before noun] informal clean and tidy, especially after having just been cleaned: By the end of the day, the whole place was spick and span.

II

clean² S1 W3 verb1. [intransitive and transitive] to remove dirt from something by rubbing or washing ⇨ cleanse:
    Your shoes need cleaning.
    Is it easy to clean?
    clean something down/off
    We clean the machines down at the end of each day.
    clean something off/from something
    He used a tissue to clean his fingerprints off the gun. ⇨ dry-clean, ⇨ spring-clean at spring-cleaning
2. [intransitive and transitive] to clean a building or other people’s houses as your job:
    Anne comes in to clean twice a week.
3. clean your teeth British English to make your teeth clean using a toothbrush and toothpaste
   SYN  brush your teeth American English
4. [transitive] to remove the inside parts of an animal or bird before cooking it:
    Harry caught the fish and cleaned them himself.
5. clean your plate to eat all your food
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ clean to remove dirt from something: I need to clean the car. | Clean the mud off your shoes.
   ▪ wash to clean something with water and usually soap: She’s washing her hair. | There’s nowhere to wash your clothes.
   ▪ wipe to clean a surface with a cloth, often a wet cloth: Wipe the worktop when you’ve finished cooking.
   ▪ scrub to wash something by rubbing it hard, especially with a brush: They made her scrub the floor.
   ▪ rinse to remove dirt from something using water, especially after washing it with soap: Rinse your hair thoroughly after shampooing it.
   ▪ cleanse formal to clean your skin, using water or a special cream: There are many products available for cleansing your skin.
   ▪ bathe /beɪð/ to clean a wound or a part of your body with water: Bathe the cut and put a plaster on it.
   ▪ do the dishes (also do the washing-up British English) to wash plates and pans after a meal: Who’s going to help me do the dishes?
   ▪ do the laundry (also do the washing British English) to wash clothes: On Tuesdays, he does the washing.
     
clean somebody/something out phrasal verb
  1. clean something ↔ out to make the inside of a room, house etc clean or tidy:
    We’d better clean out the attic this week.
  2. clean somebody out informal if something expensive cleans you out, you spend so much money on it that you now have very little left:
    Our trip to Paris cleaned me out.
  3. clean somebody/something out informal to steal everything from a place, or all of someone’s possessions
clean up phrasal verb
  1. to make a place completely clean and tidy:
    We spent all Saturday morning cleaning up.
    clean something ↔ up
    plans to clean up the beaches
    clean up after
    John always expects other people to clean up after him (=to make a place clean after he has used it).
  2. to wash yourself after you have got very dirty
    clean yourself up
    Let me just go clean myself up.
    Dad’s upstairs getting cleaned up.
  3. clean up your act informal to start behaving sensibly and responsibly:
    Some companies could face heavy fines if they fail to clean up their act.
  4. informal to win a lot of money or make a lot of money in a business deal:
    He cleaned up at the races yesterday.
  5. clean something ↔ up to improve moral standards in a place or organization:
    It’s high time British soccer cleaned up its image.
  ⇨ clean-up

III

clean³ adverbused to emphasize the fact that an action or movement is complete and thorough
    clean away/through/out
    The thieves got clean away with $300,000 worth of equipment.
    The car hit her with such force that she was lifted clean off the ground.
    Sorry, I clean forgot (=completely forgot) your birthday.

IV

clean⁴ noun [singular] British Englisha process in which you clean something:
    The car needs a good clean.