Clear, klēr, adj. pure, bright, undimmed: free from obstruction or difficulty: plain, distinct: without blemish, defect, drawback, or diminution: conspicuous: transparent.—adv. in a clear manner: plainly: wholly: quite.—v.t. to make clear: to empty: to free from obscurity, obstruction, or guilt: to free, acquit, or vindicate; to leap, or pass by or over; to make profit: to settle a bill.—v.i. to become clear: to grow free, bright, or transparent.—ns. Clear′age, a piece of land cleared; Clear′ance, act of clearing: removal of hinderances: a certificate that a ship has been cleared at the custom-house—that is, has satisfied all demands and procured permission to sail.—adjs. Clear′-eyed, clear-sighted, discerning; Clear′-head′ed, having a clear understanding, sagacious.—ns. Clear′ing, the act of making clear: a tract of land cleared of wood, &c., for cultivation: a method by which bankers exchange cheques and drafts, and arrange the differences; Clear′ing-house, a place in London where such clearing business is done; Clear′ing-nut, the seed of Strychnos potatorum, used in the East Indies for clearing muddy water.—adv. Clear′ly, in a clear manner: distinctly.—ns. Clear′ness; Clear′-obscure′ (see Chiaroscuro).—adj. Clear′-sight′ed, having clearness of sight: discerning.—ns. Clear′-sight′edness; Clear′-starch′er, a laundress; Clear′-starch′ing, the act of stiffening linen with clear starch; Clear-story (see Clerestory).—Clear out, to be off; Clear the way, to make the way open; Clear up, to become clear. [Fr. clair—L. clarus, clear.]
Cleat, klēt, n. a wedge: a piece of wood nailed across anything to keep it in its place or give it an additional strength: a piece of wood fastened on parts of a ship, and having holes or recesses for fastening ropes.—v.t. to strengthen with a cleat. [From a supposed A.S. cléat; cf. Dut. kloot; Dan. klode; Ger. kloss.]
Cleave, klēv, v.t. to divide, to split: to separate with violence: to go through: to pierce.—v.i. to part asunder: to crack:—pr.p. cleav′ing; pa.t. clōve or cleft; pa.p. clov′en or cleft.—adj. Cleav′able, capable of being cleft.—ns. Cleav′age, a condition of rocks in which they split easily into thin plates; Cleav′er, one who or that which cleaves: a butcher's chopper; Cleav′ers, Cliv′ers, goose-grass—Galium aperine, diuretic and sudorific.—adj. Cleav′ing, splitting. [A.S. cleófan; cog. with Ger. klieben.]
Cleave, klēv, v.i. to stick or adhere: to unite:—pr.p. cleav′ing; pa.t. cleaved or clāve; pa.p. cleaved.—n. Cleav′ing, the act of adhering. [A.S. clifian; cog. with Ger. kleben, Dut. kleven.]
Cleché, klesh′ā, adj. (her.) voided or hollowed throughout, as a cross showing only a narrow bolder. [Fr.]
Cleck, klek, v.t. to hatch.—n. Cleck′ing, a brood. [Scot.,—Ice. klekja; cf. Dan. klække, to hatch.]
Cleddyo, kled′yō, n. an antique leaf-shaped bronze Celtic sword. [W. cleddeu, cleddyf; L. gladius.]
Cleek, klēk, n. a large hook for catching hold of something, used in fishing, &c.: an iron-headed golf-club: a peg.—v.t. to seize, snatch. [M. E. kleken; perh. related to Clutch.]
Clef, klef, n. a musical character placed on the staff by which the absolute pitch of the notes is fixed. [Fr., from L. clavis; Gr. kleis, a key.]