clear
Word family
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++clear1 /klɪə $ klɪr/ ●●● S1 W1 adjective (comparative clearer, superlative clearest) 1 easy to understand 易懂的CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTAND expressed in a simple and direct way so that people understand 清楚的，明确的 → clarity, clearly clear instructions 明确的指示 The question wasn’t very clear. 这问题不是很清楚。 It’s the clearest guide I’ve used. 我从没用过这么清晰易懂的指南。clear about The school is clear about its policy on bullying. 这所学校对欺凌行为的处置方法是很明确的。clear about what/when/how etc Be very clear about what jobs should be completed, and by when. 哪些工作应该完成，什么时候完成，必须非常明确。clear on The rules are quite clear on the point. 在这一点上规定说得很明确。clear to It was clear to him that Tolkien was a literary genius. 他很清楚，托尔金是一位文学天才。make something clear The bishop made his views clear in a letter to the publisher. 主教在写给出版商的一封信里清楚地说明了他的观点。 How can you make the meaning clearer? 你如何才能够把意思表达得更明白些？make it clear that Make it clear that you will not take sides. 要明确表示你不站在任何一边。absolutely/abundantly clear Can I make it absolutely clear that we did not intend this to happen? 我来澄清一下好吗？我们不是有意让这样的事情发生的。 Perhaps I tried to cover too much and didn’t make myself clear (=express myself well). 可能是我涉及的内容太多，没有表达清楚。 If you don’t understand, it’s best to say so and get things clear. 如果你不明白，那就最好照直说并把事情弄清楚。 If I catch you smoking again, you’re grounded. Do I make myself clear? (=used when you are angry) 如果再让我发现你抽烟，我就罚你不准出门。我的话你听清楚了吗？clear picture/idea (=a good understanding) 清晰的理解 The report gave a clear picture of the property’s condition. 这份报告清晰地描述了该项房地产的情况。 He writes crystal clear (=very easy to understand) prose. 他写的散文通俗易懂。2 impossible to doubt 无可置疑的CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTAND impossible to doubt, question, or make a mistake about 无可置疑的；明白无误的，明确的；明显的 → clearly clear evidence of guilt 确凿的罪证 They won by a clear majority. 他们以明显的多数票获胜。it is clear whether/why/how etc It’s not clear whether he shares her views. 不清楚他是否同意她的观点。it is clear (that) It’s clear that the drug does benefit some patients. 这种药显然对有些病人有效。 When it became clear that I was pregnant, he left me. 在证实我怀孕后，他就离我而去了。clear case/example of something a clear case of sexual discrimination 性别歧视的一个明显例子► see thesaurus at obvious3 CERTAINsure about STH 确信某事的CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTAND feeling certain that you know or understand something 确信的；充分了解的 → clearly4 thinking 思考THINK ABOUT able to think sensibly and quickly 〔思路〕清晰的，清楚的 → clarity, clearly5 substance/liquid 物质/液体CC easy to see through, rather than coloured or dirty 透明的，清澈的 SYN transparent OPP cloudy, opaque6 weather 天气SEE clean and fresh, without clouds or mist 晴朗的7 eyes 眼睛HEALTHY healthy, very pure in colour, and without any redness 亮晶晶的，明亮的8 skin 皮肤HEALTHY smooth and without any red spots 光洁的；无瑕的9 easy to see 易见的CLEAR/EASY TO SEE having details, edges, lines etc that are easy to see, or shapes that are easy to recognize 清晰的，看得清楚的 → clarity10 easy to hear 易听见的HEAR easy to hear, and therefore easy to understand 听得清的；易懂的 → clarity, clearly11 after tax 税后EARN a clear amount of profit, wages etc is what is left after taxes have been paid on it 净得的，纯的 SYN net12 a clear conscience GUILTY/FEEL GUILTYthe knowledge that you have done the right thing and should not feel guilty 问心无愧13 period of time 时间段BUSY/HAVE A LOT TO DO without any planned activities or events 没有安排活动的，有空的14 not busy 不忙的COMPLETE complete or whole 〔时间〕整段的15 not blocked/covered 无阻塞的/无遮盖的SEE not covered or blocked by anything that stops you from doing or seeing what you want 畅通的；无阻碍的；无遮盖的16 see your way clear (to doing something) informalWILLING to have the necessary time or willingness to be able to do something 有时间（做某事）；愿意（做某事）17 be clear of something TOUCHto not be touching something, or to be past someone or something 不碰到某物；没有某物阻碍18. as clear as mud CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTAND spoken used humorously to say that something is very difficult to understand 一点都搞不懂，极难理解〔幽默用法〕 —clearness noun [uncountable] → all clear, → the coast is clear at coast1(2)n COLLOCATIONSverbsmake something clearChildren may have difficulty in making their feelings clear.get something clear (=understand something properly)I was trying to get the idea clear in my mind.adverbsabsolutely/perfectly clearHis answer was perfectly clear.crystal clear (=extremely clear)The instructions on the packet are crystal clear.abundantly clear formal (=extremely clear)By July the scale of the problem had become abundantly clear.not entirely clearSam’s reasons for leaving were not entirely clear.nounsa clear picture/idea (=a good understanding)Some work experience should give you a clear idea of what the job involves.phrasesmake it clear thatThe tone of her voice made it clear that she was very angry.make yourself clear (=express yourself in a way that is easy to understand)Please tell me if I’m not making myself clear.be far from clear/be by no means clear (=be very unclear)The directions she gave me were far from clear.n THESAURUS – Meaning 5: easy to see through, rather than coloured or dirtyeasy to see throughclear easy to see through, rather than coloured or dirtyThe table top is a piece of clear glass.a clear liquidThe water was so clear that you could see down to the bottom of the lake.transparent clear – used especially about materials and solid things. Transparent is a little more formal than clearFill a transparent plastic bottle with water.a piece of transparent filmMelt 2 ounces of butter in a large frying pan, and cook the onions until they are almost transparent.see-through made of a very thin material that you can see through – used especially about women’s clothesShe wore a black see-through dress.limpid literary clear – used especially about water or other liquids . This is a very formal word which is used in novels and literaturelimpid poolsShe gave her a golden flask of limpid olive oil. difficult to see throughopaque difficult to see throughThe shower has an opaque glass door.Examples from the Corpus
clear• Most of the photographs were sharp and clear.• What actually disturbed him is not so clear.• Even after two thousand years the writing is quite clear.• High-definition television is amazing. The picture is so clear.• I'll give you until Monday to turn in your essay. Is that clear?• Let me be clear about the reason.• It became clear after talking to him that Andrew wasn't going to cooperate.• A preference for country living is clear, and in some remoter rural districts there was even a significant growth in population.• On a clear day, you can see Mount Fuji from Tokyo.• a beautiful clear day• The sounds were too indistinct for him to hear the words, but the tone was clear enough.• He had left clear footprints in the wet sand.• This makes the impossibility of sustaining an objective, scientific programme particularly clear in psychology.• The prospective meaning of to is thus perfectly clear in this use.• What is clear is that the most successful computerised personnel systems link payroll and personnel together.• I only realised later that the clear liquid in the glass must have been vodka.• Gun control laws are favored by a clear majority of Americans.• a clear mountain lake• Children need clear rules about what is allowed and what isn't• clear signs of an economic recovery• Probably the clearest statements on book selection are by Lester Asheim in a defence of book selection against the charge of censorship.• It was clear that Lesley was very upset by what had happened.• It soon became clear that there were not enough police officers to deal with the situation.• Perhaps I didn't make myself clear - there won't be a penny of extra money for this project.• It was clear to me that my father was dying.• Most of the 'help' messages you get on computers aren't at all clear to ordinary home users.• It may be clear to you, but I haven't got a clue what it means.• Let me get this clear - you weren't even there at the time?clear about what/when/how etc• Typical blockages to objective setting include the following: People are often not clear about what an objective actually is.• Be very clear about what chores are to be completed and when.• But they were not clear about what exactly is being applied for.• He was clear about what he wanted, but gave the dancers evocative images to help them understand and deepen their interpretations.• Finally, other people involved in the patient's care should be clear about what is happening.• For sure, though, she would be clear about how much she hated tying her self-esteem to the whims of idiots.• Morgan was less clear about what remedies the board might impose.• As with all radioactive methods, it is important to be clear about what sets the radioactive clock to zero.it is clear whether/why/how etc• To me, it is clear why more of them do not vote, but it is hard to explain.• As we look at this reply, it is clear why psychotherapy often takes so long.clear about/on• There are a few points that I'm not really clear on.• She had never been clear about Joseph.• They had originally been very clear about not giving land for peace.• But we should know why we are doing so and be clear about the reasons why.• Mario was always very clear on the subject, and I also talked at length with Peterson during the following year.• They are clear about their objectives; they know what they want.• You would think that the law is clear on this area.• Morgan was less clear about what remedies the board might impose.• Commentators need to be clear about whether they are enquiring into interviewees' reading or their politics.clear head• A clear head and diplomacy were vital as well as endless patience.• He has obvious managerial qualities, a clear head and quick feet.• The remedy is to keep a clear head and remain in control.• Although he enjoyed gambling, this was not a time for such activities; he needed a clear head at all times.• Hutton said last week that it took another 12 hours before Reagan was medically fit and clear headed enough to make decisions.• He felt clear headed enough to tackle the remainder of the long journey north.• Mario is able to keep a clear head even when things are going wrong.• They need a clear head - Lord grant them Your wisdom.crystal clear• Everything, it says, is not exactly crystal clear.• There was no wind, the air crystal clear.• The water is crystal clear and slow moving, usually neutral or a little acid.• Everything crystal clear but refusing to make sense.• Two points became crystal clear during the 1985-86 events.• I am confident that those results will pass a crystal clear judgment that people are afraid of the Labour party in London.• The meeting made it crystal clear that Carter was determined to go ahead with the withdrawal.• Such research makes it crystal clear that decisions about normality and abnormality are filled with biases.clear view/look• The snow had almost stopped falling and he had a clear view.• When Kaiser and I got there about ten minutes later, the Huey was just sitting there in a clearing looking fine.• The door into the alleyway was open, giving a clear view into the bakery.• When she came very near, I had a clear view of her face, turned brightly to the moonlight.• Federal guidelines require that tower personnel clearing aircraft for arrivals and departures have clear views of runways below them.• But I had a clear view of the table last night, and it wasn't there.• From the railway platform, we had a clear view seaward.• The toughest challenge for macroeconomists is to get a clear view through the clouds.clear2 ●●● S1 W2 verb 1 surface/place 表面/地方 [transitive]TIDY to make somewhere emptier or tidier by removing things from it 清除；清理2 remove people 使人离开 [transitive]REMOVE to make people, cars etc leave a place 驱赶，驱散3 crime/blame etc 罪行/指责等 [transitive]INNOCENT/NOT GUILTY to prove that someone is not guilty of something 证明…无罪；洗脱…的嫌疑4 permission 许可 [transitive]5. clear your throat HBHto cough in order to be able to speak with a clear voice 清嗓子6 weather 天气DN [intransitive] (also clear up) if the weather, sky, mist etc clears, it becomes better and there is more sun 转晴 7 liquid 液体 [intransitive]SEE if a liquid clears, it becomes more transparent and you can see through it 变清澈8. cheque 支票 [intransitive, transitive]BFB if a cheque clears, or if a bank clears it, the bank allows the money to be paid into the account of the person whose name is on the cheque 〔支票经由银行〕结算；兑现〔支票〕9 go over/past 翻越/经过JUMP [transitive] to go over a fence, wall etc without touching it, or to go past or through something and no longer be in it 越过〔围栏、墙等〕；通过，穿越10. clear a debt/loan PAY FORto get rid of a debt by paying what you owe 还清债务/贷款11 clear your head/mind WORRIEDto stop worrying or thinking about something, or get rid of the effects of drinking too much alcohol 让头脑放松；使头脑清醒12 face/expression 脸/表情 [intransitive] literaryWORRIED if your face or expression clears, you stop looking worried or angry 〔脸部表情〕舒展，放松13 clear the way for something writtenPREPARE to make it possible for a process to happen 为某事扫清道路，给某事做好准备14 skin 皮肤HEALTHY [intransitive] (also clear up) if your skin clears, red marks on it disappear 斑点消失，变得光洁 15. clear the air ARGUEto do something to end an argument or bad situation, for example discuss a problem calmly 尽释前嫌；消除隔阂[误解]16. clear (something through) customs LET/ALLOWto be allowed to take things through customs （给某物）结关，清关17 clear the decks WORK HARDto do all the work that needs to be done before you can do other things 做准备工作18 earn 赚钱 [transitive] informalEARN to earn a particular amount of money after taxes have been paid on it 净赚，净收入 PHRASAL VERBS→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
clear• A good lawyer can clear $250,000 a year easily.• Wiley's business clears $300,000 a year.• Sandra cleared £50,000 last year.• A pin was inserted to stabilize the ligament, and scar tissue from the previous injury had to be cleared.• We're hoping that we can clear all our debts by the end of the year.• The fog usually clears around noon.• The report was cleared by the State Department.• Delta 7, you are cleared for takeoff.• The area around the palace had been cleared for the parade.• After Pagones was cleared in court, he sued his accusers.• This cheque should clear my overdraft.• Marshall was given his job back after being cleared of accusations that he abused drugs.• Jurors took less than a half-hour Thursday to clear professional football star Warren Moon of assaulting his wife.• Police cleared the building and carried out a controlled explosion.• A jury cleared the company of all criminal charges in connection with the accident.• He cleared the first two obstacles, but hit the top of the third.• There was a sprinkling of applause as the horses cleared the last fence.• So she was asked to undertake an elimination diet, which cleared these symptoms within a week.• The weather cleared too, and they were rowed diagonally south-west across the Sound of Sleat.clear something of something• Volunteers are working to clear the streets of sand, debris, and water.• The area was cleared of traffic as a safety precaution.clear somebody/something from something• Trucks have just finished clearing the wreck from the road. clear somebody of (doing) something• The president himself claimed not to be involved and refused to call Carville off, leaving the clear implication of approval.• Refreshing Breathing - to clear feelings of stagnation.• Spluttering and spitting and brushing at himself he dashed to a clearer part of the hall.• The offeror should always have a clear idea of the maximum price he wishes to pay and stick to it.• The jury cleared Johnson of the murder.• The city government has decided to clear the streets of the unsightly pedicab in the interests of humanity and prestige.• Without a clear notion of these two relationships, there may be no opportunity to proceed further.• Tom wants to make the effort but lacks a clear understanding of what he is supposed to do.clear something with somebody• I'll have to clear it with my boss first.clear3 ●●○ adverb 1 ESCAPEaway from something, or out of the way 不接触；不靠近；远离2 keep/stay/steer clear (of somebody/something) AVOIDto avoid someone or something because of possible danger or trouble 〔因可能的危险或麻烦而〕避开，躲开（某人/某事）3 especially American English informalSEE used to emphasize a long distance 一直 〔用于强调距离远〕 → loud and clear at loud2(2)Examples from the Corpus
clear• I could clearly see a row of cottages at the top of the hill• Procedures for making insurance claims need to be more clearly defined.• The contract says quite clearly that the landlord must pay for all repairs to the house.• Firefighters pulled the woman clear of the wreckage.clear4 noun 1.in the clear not guilty of something 清白的，无罪的From Longman Business Dictionaryclearclear /klɪəklɪr/ verb [transitive]1to give permission for a product to be sold or for a deal to be madeThe drug has been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration.Venezuela’s congress cleared the sale of the state telephone company CANTV.2BANKINGFINANCE clear trades/transactions to make payments relating to trading on financial markets or trading of goodsAbout 1,000 small brokerage firms are using the company to clear and settle their trades.It takes ages for the banks here to clear transactions and it’s very expensive.3BANKING clear a cheque if a bank clears a cheque, or if a cheque clears, the money is sent from one bank to another and the cheque is paidThe fraud relied on managers returning money before the original cheque had cleared.4COMMERCE clear something through Customs/clear Customs to be allowed to take things through CUSTOMSBribery is needed to get goods cleared through customs.They cleared customs, but never boarded their flight.5FINANCE clear a debt to pay a debt in fullThe Ivory Coast cleared its debts of $42m. 6informal to earn a particular amount of money, or to make a particular amount of profitDiane clears £20,000 a year.7COMMERCEto sell goods cheaply in order to get rid of themWe need to clear the old stock before we can bring in this season’s range of products. → clear something → out→ See Verb tableOrigin clear1 (1200-1300) Old French cler, from Latin clarus “clear, bright”clear1 adjective →10-18
→n COLLOCATIONS1 →n THESAURUS1clear2 verb →10-18
→n GRAMMAR1 →PHRASAL VERBS1clear3 adverbclear4 nounLDOCE OnlineChinese
→n COLLOCATIONS1 →n THESAURUS1clear2 verb →10-18
→n GRAMMAR1 →PHRASAL VERBS1clear3 adverbclear4 nounLDOCE OnlineChinese
direct expressed Corpus in simple and a Business
clear
clear1 S1 W1 /klɪə $ klɪr/ 
adjective (comparative clearer, superlative clearest)
clear instructions
The question wasn’t very clear.
It’s the clearest guide I’ve used.
clear about
The school is clear about its policy on bullying.
clear about what/when/how etc
Be very clear about what jobs should be completed, and by when.
clear on
The rules are quite clear on the point.
clear to
It was clear to him that Tolkien was a literary genius.
make something clear
The bishop made his views clear in a letter to the publisher.
How can you make the meaning clearer?
make it clear that
Make it clear that you will not take sides.
absolutely/abundantly clear
Can I make it absolutely clear that we did not intend this to happen?
Perhaps I tried to cover too much and didn’t make myself clear (=express myself well).
If you don’t understand, it’s best to say so and get things clear.
If I catch you smoking again, you’re grounded. Do I make myself clear (=used when you are angry)?
clear picture/idea (=a good understanding)
The report gave a clear picture of the property’s condition.
He writes crystal clear (=very easy to understand) prose.
2. IMPOSSIBLE TO DOUBT impossible to doubt, question, or make a mistake about ⇨ clearly:
clear evidence of guilt
They won by a clear majority.
it is clear whether/why/how etc
It’s not clear whether he shares her views.
it is clear (that)
It’s clear that the drug does benefit some patients.
When it became clear that I was pregnant, he left me.
clear case/example of something
a clear case of sexual discrimination
3. SURE ABOUT SOMETHING feeling certain that you know or understand something ⇨ clearly
clear about/on
Are you all clear now about what you have to do?
clear whether/what/how etc
I’m still not really clear how this machine works.
Let me get this clear – you hadn’t seen her in three days?
a clearer understanding of the issues
4. THINKING able to think sensibly and quickly ⇨ clarity, clearly:
She felt that her thinking was clearer now.
In the morning, with a clear head, she’d tackle the problem.
5. SUBSTANCE/LIQUID easy to see through, rather than coloured or dirty
SYN transparent
OPP cloudy, opaque:
clear glass bottles
a crystal clear mountain lake
6. WEATHER clean and fresh, without clouds or mist:
a clear June morning
The skies were clear and blue.
7. EYES healthy, very pure in colour, and without any redness:
clear blue eyes
8. SKIN smooth and without any red spots:
a clear complexion
9. EASY TO SEE having details, edges, lines etc that are easy to see, or shapes that are easy to recognize ⇨ clarity:
a TV with a clear picture and high-quality sound
10. EASY TO HEAR easy to hear, and therefore easy to understand ⇨ clarity, clearly:
a clear speaking voice
The radio reception isn’t very clear.
It’s a good recording; the sound is as clear as a bell (=very clear).
11. AFTER TAX a clear amount of profit, wages etc is what is left after taxes have been paid on it
SYN net:
I get £200 a week clear.
Sam makes a clear $90,000 per year.
12. a clear conscience the knowledge that you have done the right thing and should not feel guilty:
I don’t think I could vote for him with a clear conscience.
She had done what she could and her conscience was clear.
13. PERIOD OF TIME without any planned activities or events:
Next Monday is clear; how about ten o'clock?
14. NOT BUSY complete or whole:
Allow three clear days for delivery.
15. NOT BLOCKED/COVERED not covered or blocked by anything that stops you from doing or seeing what you want:
The roads were fairly clear this morning.
clear view/look
From the top floor you get a clear view of the bay.
clear of
To prevent fires, the sides of the roads are kept clear of underbrush.
16. see your way clear (to doing something) informal to have the necessary time or willingness to be able to do something:
We expect good results soon, if the board can see its way clear to continuing funding the project.
17. be clear of something to not be touching something, or to be past someone or something:
Wait to cross until the street is clear of cars.
The curtains should be a couple of inches clear of the floor.
18. as clear as mud spoken used humorously to say that something is very difficult to understand ⇨ all clear, ⇨ the coast is clear at coast1(2)
—clearness noun [uncountable]
■ verbs
▪make something clear Children may have difficulty in making their feelings clear.
▪get something clear (=understand something properly) I was trying to get the idea clear in my mind.
■ adverbs
▪absolutely/perfectly clear His answer was perfectly clear.
▪crystal clear (=extremely clear) The instructions on the packet are crystal clear.
▪abundantly clear formal (=extremely clear) By July the scale of the problem had become abundantly clear.
▪not entirely clear Sam’s reasons for leaving were not entirely clear.
■ nouns
▪a clear picture/idea (=a good understanding) Some work experience should give you a clear idea of what the job involves.
■ phrases
▪make it clear that The tone of her voice made it clear that she was very angry.
▪make yourself clear (=express yourself in a way that is easy to understand) Please tell me if I’m not making myself clear.
▪be far from clear/be by no means clear (=be very unclear) The directions she gave me were far from clear.
■ easy to see through
▪clear easy to see through, rather than coloured or dirty: The table top is a piece of clear glass. | a clear liquid | The water was so clear that you could see down to the bottom of the lake.
▪transparent clear - used especially about materials and solid things. Transparent is a little more formal than clear: Fill a transparent plastic bottle with water. | a piece of transparent film | Melt 2 ounces of butter in a large frying pan, and cook the onions until they are almost transparent.
▪see-through made of a very thin material that you can see through - used especially about women’s clothes: She wore a black see-through dress.
▪limpid literary clear - used especially about water or other liquids . This is a very formal word which is used in novels and literature: limpid pools | She gave her a golden flask of limpid olive oil.
■ difficult to see through
▪opaque difficult to see through: The shower has an opaque glass door.
clear2 S1 W2 verb
Snowplows have been out clearing the roads.
clear something of something
Large areas of land had been cleared of forest.
clear something from something
Workers began clearing wreckage from the tracks.
Dad cleared a space (=moved things so there was room) in the garage for Jim’s tools.
It’s Kelly’s turn to clear the table (=remove the dirty plates, forks etc).
2. REMOVE PEOPLE [transitive] to make people, cars etc leave a place:
Within minutes, police had cleared the area.
clear somebody/something from something
Crowds of demonstrators were cleared from the streets.
3. CRIME/BLAME ETC [transitive usually passive] to prove that someone is not guilty of something:
Rawlings was cleared after new evidence was produced.
clear somebody of (doing) something
Maya was cleared of manslaughter.
a long-running legal battle to clear his name
4. PERMISSION [transitive]
a. to give or get official permission for something to be done:
He was cleared by doctors to resume skating in August.
clear something with somebody
Defence policies must often be cleared with NATO allies first.
b. to give official permission for a person, ship, or aircraft to enter or leave a country:
The plane took off as soon as it was cleared.
5. clear your throat to cough in order to be able to speak with a clear voice
6. WEATHER [intransitive] (also clear up) if the weather, sky, mist etc clears, it becomes better and there is more sun:
The haze usually clears by lunchtime.
7. LIQUID [intransitive] if a liquid clears, it becomes more transparent and you can see through it:
Wait for the water to clear before adding any fish.
8. CHEQUE [intransitive and transitive] if a cheque clears, or if a bank clears it, the bank allows the money to be paid into the account of the person whose name is on the cheque
9. GO OVER/PAST [transitive] to go over a fence, wall etc without touching it, or to go past or through something and no longer be in it:
The plane barely cleared the fence at the end of the runway.
Edwards cleared 18 feet in the pole vault.
The plane cleared Chinese airspace.
10. clear a debt/loan to get rid of a debt by paying what you owe
11. clear your head/mind to stop worrying or thinking about something, or get rid of the effects of drinking too much alcohol:
A good walk might clear my head.
12. FACE/EXPRESSION [intransitive] literary if your face or expression clears, you stop looking worried or angry:
She looked embarrassed, but then her face cleared.
13. clear the way for something written to make it possible for a process to happen:
This agreement will clear the way for further talks.
14. SKIN [intransitive] (also clear up) if your skin clears, red marks on it disappear:
The rash has finally cleared.
15. clear the air to do something to end an argument or bad situation, for example discuss a problem calmly
16. clear (something through) customs to be allowed to take things through customs
17. clear the decks to do all the work that needs to be done before you can do other things:
I’m trying to clear the decks before Christmas.
18. EARN [transitive] informal to earn a particular amount of money after taxes have been paid on it:
Diane clears £20,000 a year.
clear something ↔ away phrasal verb
to make a place look tidier by removing things or putting things back where they belong:
When dinner was done and cleared away, Auntie Lou made some tea.
Homeowners are clearing away brush near their houses to prevent fires.
clear off phrasal verb British English informal
to leave a place quickly:
They cleared off when they saw the police coming.
clear off! (=used to tell someone angrily to go away)
clear out phrasal verb
1. clear something ↔ out to make a place tidy by removing things from it and getting rid of them:
I need to clear out my closet.
2. to leave a place or building quickly:
Wait to get on the train until the people getting off have cleared out.
clear out! British English (=used to tell someone angrily to go away)
⇨ clear-out
clear up phrasal verb
1. to make a place look tidier by putting things back where they belong:
I don’t mind you using the kitchen as long as you clear up afterwards.
clear something ↔ up
Adam, clear up this mess before your father sees it.
clear up after
I get really tired of clearing up after you (=tidying places that you have made untidy).
2. clear something ↔ up to explain or solve something, or make it easier to understand:
The White House hopes these problems can be cleared up soon.
There are a couple of points we need to clear up before the meeting begins.
3. if the weather clears up, it gets better
4. if an illness or infection clears up, it disappears
clear3 adverb
Firefighters pulled her clear of the wreckage.
Please stand clear of the doors.
2. keep/stay/steer clear (of somebody/something) to avoid someone or something because of possible danger or trouble:
If you’re a beginner, steer clear of resorts with reputations for difficult skiing.
3. especially American English informal used to emphasize a long distance:
You can see clear to the hills.
⇨ loud and clear at loud2(2)
clear4 noun
in the clear not guilty of something
| I |
adjective (comparative clearer, superlative clearest) Word Family: noun: clarity, clearance, clearing, clarification, clearness; verb: clear, clarify; adverb: clear, clearly; adjective: clear ≠ unclear
Date: 1200-1300
Language: Old French
Origin: cler, from Latin clarus 'clear, bright'
1. EASY TO UNDERSTAND expressed in a simple and direct way so that people understand ⇨ clarity, clearly:Language: Old French
Origin: cler, from Latin clarus 'clear, bright'
clear about
clear about what/when/how etc
clear on
clear to
make something clear
make it clear that
absolutely/abundantly clear
clear picture/idea (=a good understanding)
2. IMPOSSIBLE TO DOUBT impossible to doubt, question, or make a mistake about ⇨ clearly:
it is clear whether/why/how etc
it is clear (that)
clear case/example of something
3. SURE ABOUT SOMETHING feeling certain that you know or understand something ⇨ clearly
clear about/on
clear whether/what/how etc
4. THINKING able to think sensibly and quickly ⇨ clarity, clearly:
5. SUBSTANCE/LIQUID easy to see through, rather than coloured or dirty
SYN transparent
OPP cloudy, opaque:
6. WEATHER clean and fresh, without clouds or mist:
7. EYES healthy, very pure in colour, and without any redness:
8. SKIN smooth and without any red spots:
9. EASY TO SEE having details, edges, lines etc that are easy to see, or shapes that are easy to recognize ⇨ clarity:
10. EASY TO HEAR easy to hear, and therefore easy to understand ⇨ clarity, clearly:
11. AFTER TAX a clear amount of profit, wages etc is what is left after taxes have been paid on it
SYN net:
12. a clear conscience the knowledge that you have done the right thing and should not feel guilty:
13. PERIOD OF TIME without any planned activities or events:
14. NOT BUSY complete or whole:
15. NOT BLOCKED/COVERED not covered or blocked by anything that stops you from doing or seeing what you want:
clear view/look
clear of
16. see your way clear (to doing something) informal to have the necessary time or willingness to be able to do something:
17. be clear of something to not be touching something, or to be past someone or something:
18. as clear as mud spoken used humorously to say that something is very difficult to understand ⇨ all clear, ⇨ the coast is clear at coast1(2)
—clearness noun [uncountable]
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| II |
verb Word Family: noun: clarity, clearance, clearing, clarification, clearness; verb: clear, clarify; adverb: clear, clearly; adjective: clear ≠ unclear
1. SURFACE/PLACE [transitive] to make somewhere emptier or tidier by removing things from it: clear something of something
clear something from something
2. REMOVE PEOPLE [transitive] to make people, cars etc leave a place:
clear somebody/something from something
3. CRIME/BLAME ETC [transitive usually passive] to prove that someone is not guilty of something:
clear somebody of (doing) something
4. PERMISSION [transitive]
a. to give or get official permission for something to be done:
clear something with somebody
b. to give official permission for a person, ship, or aircraft to enter or leave a country:
5. clear your throat to cough in order to be able to speak with a clear voice
6. WEATHER [intransitive] (also clear up) if the weather, sky, mist etc clears, it becomes better and there is more sun:
7. LIQUID [intransitive] if a liquid clears, it becomes more transparent and you can see through it:
8. CHEQUE [intransitive and transitive] if a cheque clears, or if a bank clears it, the bank allows the money to be paid into the account of the person whose name is on the cheque
9. GO OVER/PAST [transitive] to go over a fence, wall etc without touching it, or to go past or through something and no longer be in it:
10. clear a debt/loan to get rid of a debt by paying what you owe
11. clear your head/mind to stop worrying or thinking about something, or get rid of the effects of drinking too much alcohol:
12. FACE/EXPRESSION [intransitive] literary if your face or expression clears, you stop looking worried or angry:
13. clear the way for something written to make it possible for a process to happen:
14. SKIN [intransitive] (also clear up) if your skin clears, red marks on it disappear:
15. clear the air to do something to end an argument or bad situation, for example discuss a problem calmly
16. clear (something through) customs to be allowed to take things through customs
17. clear the decks to do all the work that needs to be done before you can do other things:
18. EARN [transitive] informal to earn a particular amount of money after taxes have been paid on it:
clear something ↔ away phrasal verb
to make a place look tidier by removing things or putting things back where they belong:
clear off phrasal verb British English informal
to leave a place quickly:
clear off! (=used to tell someone angrily to go away)
clear out phrasal verb
1. clear something ↔ out to make a place tidy by removing things from it and getting rid of them:
2. to leave a place or building quickly:
clear out! British English (=used to tell someone angrily to go away)
⇨ clear-out
clear up phrasal verb
1. to make a place look tidier by putting things back where they belong:
clear something ↔ up
clear up after
2. clear something ↔ up to explain or solve something, or make it easier to understand:
3. if the weather clears up, it gets better
4. if an illness or infection clears up, it disappears
| III |
adverb Word Family: noun: clarity, clearance, clearing, clarification, clearness; verb: clear, clarify; adverb: clear, clearly; adjective: clear ≠ unclear
1. away from something, or out of the way: 2. keep/stay/steer clear (of somebody/something) to avoid someone or something because of possible danger or trouble:
3. especially American English informal used to emphasize a long distance:
⇨ loud and clear at loud2(2)
| IV |
nounin the clear not guilty of something
clear easy to see or understand and leaving no doubts 指显而易见的、明白易懂的、清楚的、明确的 ：◆ It was quite clear to me that she was lying. 我十分清楚她在撒谎。 obvious easy to see or understand 指明显的、显然的、易理解的 ：◆ It's obvious from what he said that something is wrong. 根据他所说的，显然是出问题了。 apparent [ ( easy to see or understandrather
指显而易见、明白易懂、显然 ：◆ It was apparent from her face that she was really upset. 从面容上一眼就可以看出她确实心绪烦乱。 evident ( easy to see or understandrather
指清楚的、明白的、显然的 ：◆ The orchestra played with evident enjoyment. 管弦乐队演奏得兴致勃勃。 plain easy to see or understand 指清楚的、明显的、浅白的 ：◆ He made it veryplain that he wanted us to leave.他明确表示要我们离开。
which word? 词语辨析
These words all have almost exactly the same meaning. There are slight differences in register and patterns of use. If you make sth clear/plain , you do so deliberately because you want people to understand sth; if youmake sth obvious , you usually do it without meaning to.以上各词意思几乎相同，只是在语体风格和句型使用上稍有区别。make sth clear/plain 表示刻意为使别人明白；make sth obvious 通常并非刻意 ：◆ I hope I make myself obvious. ◆ Try not to make it so clear/plain. In the expressions clear majority ,for obvious reasons ,for no apparent reason andplain to see , none of the other words can be used instead. You can havea clear/an obvious/a plain case of sth but not◆ an evident case of sth 在 clear majority（明显多数）、for obvious reasons（因为显而易见的原因）、for no apparent reason（没有明显的原因）和 plain to see（显而易见）中，表示 “明显” 的词不能替换。可以用 clear/obvious/plain case of sth（明显的情况），但不能用 an evident case of sth。
Patterns
clear/obvious/apparent/evident/plain to sb/sthclear/obvious/apparent/evident/plain that/what/who/how/where/why… to seem/become/make sth clear/obvious/apparent/evident/plainperfectly/quite/very clear/obvious/apparent/evident/plain
Giving proof 提供证据
◆ There is clear evidence that TV advertising influences what children buy.有明确的证据表明电视广告影响儿童的购买行为。 ◆ It is clear from numerous studiesthat TV advertising influences what children buy.众多研究清楚地表明电视广告影响儿童的购买行为。 ◆ Recent research demonstrates that TV advertising influences children's spending habits.最近的研究表明电视广告影响儿童的消费习惯。 ◆ Many parents think that TV advertising influences their children. This view is supported by the findings of a recent study, whichshow a clear link between television advertisements and children's spending habits.许多家长认为电视广告对他们的孩子会产生影响。这一观点得到近期研究结果的支持，即电视广告和儿童消费习惯之间有明显的关联。 ◆ The findings also reveal that most children are unaware of the persuasive purpose of advertising.这些研究结果还显示大多数儿童没有意识到广告的说服意图。 ◆ There is little evidence that children understand the persuasive intent of advertising.几乎没有证据表明儿童能够理解广告的说服意图。 ◆ The results contradict claims that advertising is unrelated to children's spending habits.这些研究结果否定了广告与儿童消费习惯无关的说法。 ◆ Manufacturers argue that it is difficult to prove that advertising alone influences what children buy.生产厂商争辩说，很难证明单凭广告就能影响儿童的购买行为。
sure [ 指确信、肯定、有把握、必定 ：◆ 'Is that John over there?' 'I'm not sure.' “那边那个人是约翰吗？” “我说不准。” ◆ Are you sure about that? 这事你肯定吗？ ◆ England must win this game to be sure of qualifying. 英格兰队必须拿下这场比赛才能确保获得资格。 NOTE Sure is often used in negative statements and questions, because there is some doubt or anxiety over the matter. If there is no doubt, people often sayquite sure .* sure 常用于否定句和疑问句，表示有所怀疑或担忧。毫无疑问时常用 quite sure ：◆ I'm quite sure (that) I left my bag here (= .I have no doubt about it )我肯定是把包丢在这儿了。 confident completely sure that sth will happen in the way that you want or expect 指肯定、确信、有把握 ：◆ I'm quite confident that you'll get the job. 我肯定你能得到那份工作。 ◆ The team feels confident of winning. 这个队觉得有把握取胜。 NOTE Confident is a stronger and more definite word thansure and is more often used in positive statements, when you feel no anxiety.* confident 较 sure 语气强，而且更肯定，在无所担忧的情况下较常用于肯定句中。 convinced [ 指坚信、深信、确信，尤指有证据证明或经说服 ：◆ I'm convinced that she's innocent. 我坚信她是清白无辜的。 certain [ 指确信、肯定、无疑 ：◆ Are you absolutely certain about this? 你对这事绝对确信无疑吗？
sure or certain? 用 sure 还是 certain？
positive [ ( completely sure that sth is truerather
指有绝对把握、确信、肯定 ：◆ She was positive that he'd been there. 她确信他曾到过那儿。 ◆ 'Are you sure?' 'Positive.' “你肯定吗？” “绝对肯定。” clear (often used in negative statements and questions) having no doubt or confusion about sth （常用于否定句与疑问句中）指无疑的、清楚的、明白的 ：◆ My memory isn't really clear on that point. 那一点我记不太清楚了。
Patterns
sure/confident/convinced/certain/positive/clear about sthsure/confident/convinced/certain of sthsure/confident/convinced/certain/positive/clear that… sure/certain/clear who/what/how , etc.to feel sure/confident/convinced/certain/positivequite/absolutely/completely/fairly/pretty sure/confident/convinced/certain/positive/clearnot altogether sure/confident/convinced/certain/clear
◆ I'm sorry, I didn't quite understand. 对不起，我不太明白。 ◆ Would you mind explaining that again? I'm not sure that I've understood correctly.请你再解释一遍行吗？我拿不准我理解得对不对。 ◆ Sorry, I don't quite follow (you). 抱歉，我没太听懂（你的话）。 ◆ Can I just check that I've got this right? 我核实一下我的理解是否正确好吗？ ◆ I'm not quite/exactly clear about/really sure what I'm supposed to do.我不太清楚／不太肯定该做什么。 ◆ Sorry, could you repeat that? I didn't hear what you said.对不起，你能再说一遍吗？你刚才说的我没听到。 ◆ Sorry, would you mind repeating what you just said? 对不起，请你把刚才说的话重复一遍好吗？ ◆ If I understand you correctly, you want me to phone the customer and apologise?如果我的理解没错，你是要我打电话给客户道歉？ ◆ Do you mean (to say) that the deal's off?你的意思是（说）交易取消了？ ◆ What exactly are you saying? 你到底在说什么？ ◆ So you're saying that the meeting's cancelled?那么你是说会议取消了？ ◆ Sorry, did you mean that I should wait here or come back later?抱歉，你的意思是我该在这里等，还是一会儿再过来？ ◆ Can you just confirm your date of birth for me, please?请您帮我确认一下您的出生日期好吗？
especially