5 VERB To clear your mind or your head means to free it from confused thoughts or from the effects of a drug such as alcohol. □ [V n] He walked up Fifth Avenue to clear his head. □ [V n + of ] Our therapists will show you how to clear your mind of worries.
6 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A clear substance is one which you can see through and which has no colour, like clean water. □ …a clear glass panel. □ The water is clear and plenty of fish are visible.
7 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If a surface, place, or view is clear , it is free of unwanted objects or obstacles. □ The runway is clear–go ahead and land. □ [+ of ] Caroline prefers her worktops to be clear of clutter. □ The windows will allow a clear view of the beach.
8 VERB When you clear an area or place or clear something from it, you remove things from it that you do not want to be there. □ [V n] To clear the land and harvest the bananas they decided they needed a male workforce. □ [V n + of ] Workers could not clear the tunnels of smoke. □ [V n + from ] Firefighters were still clearing rubble from apartments damaged at the scene of the attack. [Also V n with adv] [Also V n + off ]
9 VERB If something or someone clears the way or the path for something to happen, they make it possible. □ [V n + for ] The Prime Minister resigned today, clearing the way for the formation of a new government.
10 ADJ If it is a clear day or if the sky is clear , there is no mist, rain, or cloud. □ On a clear day you can see the French coast. □ The winter sky was clear.
11 VERB When fog or mist clears , it gradually disappears. □ [V ] The early morning mist had cleared.
12 ADJ Clear eyes look healthy, attractive, and shining. □ …clear blue eyes. □ Her eyes were clear and steady.
13 ADJ If your skin is clear , it is healthy and free from spots.
14 ADJ If you say that your conscience is clear , you mean you do not think you have done anything wrong. □ Mr Garcia said his conscience was clear over the jail incidents.
15 ADJ If something or someone is clear of something else, it is not touching it or is a safe distance away from it. □ [+ of ] As soon as he was clear of the terminal building he looked round.
16 VERB If an animal or person clears an object or clears a certain height, they jump over the object, or over something that height, without touching it. □ [V n] He was the first vaulter to clear 6.00 metres.
17 VERB When a bank clears a cheque or when a cheque clears , the bank agrees to pay the sum of money mentioned on it. □ [V n] Polish banks can still take two or three weeks to clear a cheque. □ [V ] Allow time for the cheque to clear.
18 VERB [usu passive] If a course of action is cleared , people in authority give permission for it to happen. □ [be V -ed] Linda Gradstein has this report from Jerusalem, which was cleared by an Israeli censor. □ [be V -ed + for ] Within an hour, the helicopter was cleared for take-off. [Also be V -ed to-inf]
19 VERB If someone is cleared , they are proved to be not guilty of a crime or mistake. □ [be V -ed of n/v-ing] She was cleared of murder and jailed for just five years for manslaughter. □ [V n] In a final effort to clear her name, Eunice has written a book.
20 → see also clearing , crystal clear
21 CONVENTION You can say ' Is that clear? ' or ' Do I make myself clear? ' after you have told someone your wishes or instructions, to make sure that they have understood you, and to emphasize your authority. □ We're only going for half an hour, and you're not going to buy anything. Is that clear?
22 PHRASE If someone is in the clear , they are not in danger, or are not blamed or suspected of anything. □ The Audit Commission said that the ministry was in the clear.
23 PHRASE If you make something clear , you say something in a way that makes it impossible for there to be any doubt about your meaning, wishes, or intentions. □ [PHR that] Mr O'Friel made it clear that further insults of this kind would not be tolerated. □ The far-right has now made its intentions clear.
24 PHRASE If something or someone is a certain amount clear of a competitor, they are that amount ahead of them in a competition or race. [BRIT ] □ [+ of ] The team are now seven points clear of West Ham. □ [+ of ] He crossed the line three seconds clear of Tom Snape.
25 PHRASE If you steer clear or stay clear of someone or something, you avoid them. □ [+ of ] The rabbis try to steer clear of political questions.
26 to clear the air → see air
27 the coast is clear → see coast
28 to clear the decks → see deck
29 loud and clear → see loud
30 to clear your throat → see throat
▸ clear away PHRASAL VERB When you clear things away or clear away , you put away the things that you have been using, especially for eating or cooking. □ [V P n] The waitress had cleared away the plates and brought coffee. □ [V P ] Tania cooked, served, and cleared away. [Also V n P ]