cleanly
/ˈkliːnli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkliːnli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈklēn-lē/ (ame, mw)
cleanly — adverb
1. in a way that follows the rules and is honest, especially during a sports match
in a way that follows the rules and is honest, especially during a sports match or competition.
Kwame fought cleanly throughout the boxing match and earned the referee's respect.
verb + cleanly for fair play in sport
The two chess players competed cleanly, refusing to use any computer assistance during the tournament.
competition context
Nora promised her coach she would race cleanly and never take performance drugs.
The committee praised the candidate for campaigning cleanly without attacking her opponents.
- fairly
more general; covers any context, not only competition
- honestly
focuses on truthfulness, not on following rules
- honourably
formal; stresses moral standards beyond the rulebook
文法句型
verb + cleanly
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person, team, or candidate; describes conduct in a contest or campaign. Distinguish from sense 5 'in a clean manner' which is about physical cleanliness.
常見錯誤
2. in a way that produces an even, sharp edge with no rough or torn parts.
in a way that produces an even, sharp edge with no rough or torn parts.
The chef sliced the salmon cleanly with a freshly sharpened knife.
collocation: slice/cut cleanly
Trang's wrist snapped cleanly when she fell off her bicycle on the wet pavement.
break/snap cleanly for an even fracture line
The branch broke cleanly from the apple tree during last night's storm.
Eitan tore the page cleanly along the perforated edge of the notebook.
文法句型
verb of cutting/breaking + cleanly
用法筆記
Used with verbs of cutting, breaking, snapping, or tearing — the focus is on the resulting edge being smooth, not on the action being easy.
3. in a way that happens smoothly in one motion, with nothing catching or going wro
in a way that happens smoothly in one motion, with nothing catching or going wrong.
Anjali's tennis serve passed cleanly over the net into the corner of the court.
ball/object travels cleanly through a space
The drawer slid cleanly back into place once Benjamin oiled the wooden runners.
machinery slides/runs cleanly
The plane landed cleanly on the runway despite the strong crosswind.
Wei jumped cleanly over the wooden fence without touching the top rail.
文法句型
verb of movement + cleanly
用法筆記
Subject is something in motion (a ball, vehicle, body, drawer). Distinguish from sense 2: sense 2 is about the edge a cut leaves; this sense is about the smoothness of the motion itself.
4. in a way that divides something into equal parts with no leftover.
in a way that divides something into equal parts with no leftover.
The chocolate bar split cleanly into four squares along its marked grooves.
split cleanly into N parts
Yara divided the inheritance cleanly between her three younger brothers.
divide cleanly between people
The committee split cleanly down the middle on whether to approve the new playground.
Ramón shared the pizza cleanly so each child got the same number of slices.
文法句型
divide/split + cleanly
用法筆記
Only used with verbs of dividing, splitting, or sharing. Distinguish from sense 2 (cutting with a smooth edge): here the focus is on equal portions, not on the cut itself.
5. in a way that leaves no dirt, mark, or mess behind.
in a way that leaves no dirt, mark, or mess behind.
Lotte washed her hands cleanly after working in the muddy vegetable garden.
wash/wipe cleanly
The new vacuum cleaner picks up pet hair cleanly from every corner of the carpet.
machine performs cleanly
Apinya wiped the kitchen counter cleanly before her grandmother arrived for tea.
The dog ate its dinner cleanly and left no scraps on the floor.
- thoroughly
stresses completeness of the cleaning, not the lack of mess left behind
- neatly
wider; covers any tidy result, including ones not involving dirt
文法句型
verb + cleanly
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 'fairly': sense 1 is about conduct, this sense is about literal physical cleanliness.
cleanly — adjective
- cleanlypositive
- cleanliercomparative
- cleanliestsuperlative
1. (of a person or animal) careful about keeping clean and tidy, especially by habi
(of a person or animal) careful about keeping clean and tidy, especially by habit.
Quinn was a cleanly child who refused to wear the same shirt twice in one week.
cleanly + person
Cats are cleanly animals that wash themselves several times a day.
cleanly + animal
Harper's grandmother praised the new tenants for being cleanly and respectful.
Élise grew up in a cleanly household where shoes were always left at the front door.
- tidy
everyday word; 'cleanly' is more formal and dated
- fastidious
formal; stresses the careful attention to detail, not just the result
文法句型
cleanly + noun (person/animal)
用法筆記
Old-fashioned and now rare; modern English usually says 'clean' or 'tidy' of a person, and 'fastidious' in formal writing. Don't confuse with the adverb 'cleanly' — the adjective takes nouns directly.
常見錯誤
2. (of a place or object) regularly kept free from dirt as a matter of habit.
(of a place or object) regularly kept free from dirt as a matter of habit.
Christopher praised the cleanly inn for its spotless rooms and freshly laundered sheets.
cleanly + place noun
The cleanly kitchen smelled faintly of lemon and pine soap each morning.
cleanly + room/area
Travel guides recommend the cleanly little guesthouses along the coastal road.
Pim's grandfather kept a cleanly workshop where every tool had its own hook.
文法句型
cleanly + noun (place/object)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (the person is the one being careful) — here the place is the result of someone's care. Both senses are old-fashioned; today writers usually say 'spotless' or 'well-kept'.