clear-out
/ˈkliə.raʊt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈklɪr.aʊt/ (ame, ipa)
clear-out — noun
1. an event or period when you go through a room, cupboard, or building and throw a
an event or period when you go through a room, cupboard, or building and throw away or give away things you no longer use, so that the space becomes cleaner and more organised
After the kitchen clear-out, Sayaka found three old pans she had forgotten about.
The office clear-out took the whole team two weekends to finish.
We had a big clear-out before moving to a smaller apartment.
A regular clear-out of the garage keeps the space usable for the car.
Salma's spring clear-out filled eight donation bags with clothes and books.
- spring-clean
specifically about cleaning the whole house in spring, while clear-out focuses on discarding unwanted items any time of year
- decluttering session
more modern and psychological, emphasising reducing mess rather than cleaning
clear-out — phrasal verb
- clear-outbase form
- clear-outs3rd person singular
- clear-outing-ing form
- clear-outedpast simple
1. to go away from somewhere quickly, especially when you are trying to avoid troub
to go away from somewhere quickly, especially when you are trying to avoid trouble, you are in a hurry, or you are no longer welcome there
When the fire alarm went off, everyone cleared out of the building within seconds.
clear out of [place] for leaving urgently
The party got too loud, so Hui cleared out before midnight.
The tenants cleared out without paying the last month's rent.
Salma told the noisy teenagers to clear out of her garden at once.
The workers cleared out as soon as the boss mentioned overtime.
文法句型
clear out (of + place)
用法筆記
Frequently used as a command ('Clear out!') to tell someone firmly to go away. Unlike 'clear out' meaning to tidy, this sense never takes an object.
常見錯誤
2. to remove everything unwanted from a space such as a room, cupboard, or drawer,
to remove everything unwanted from a space such as a room, cupboard, or drawer, usually in order to clean it or organise it better
Ramón cleared out the attic and discovered his grandfather's old letters.
We need to clear out the fridge before the new groceries arrive.
Ezra spent the weekend clearing out the spare room for the baby.
The librarian cleared the old books out to make room for new ones.
Adina cleared out her wardrobe and gave the old clothes to charity.
文法句型
clear out + noun phrase
clear + noun phrase + out
用法筆記
The object can come between 'clear' and 'out' (clear the cupboard out) or after 'out' (clear out the cupboard). When the object is a pronoun, it must go between: 'clear it out', not 'clear out it'.
常見錯誤
clear-out — verb
- clear-outpresent simple I / you / we / they
- clear-outs3rd person singular
- clear-outing-ing form
- clear-outedpast simple
1. to go away from a place, especially when several people leave and the place grad
to go away from a place, especially when several people leave and the place gradually becomes less crowded or empty
By dawn, most of the campers had cleared out and headed home.
After the final lecture, the students cleared out of the hall.
clear out of [place] for groups leaving
The guests cleared out soon after the dinner was over.
The crowd cleared out when the rain started pouring down.
- gather
people arriving and filling a space
文法句型
clear out (of + place)
用法筆記
Distinguish from the phrasal verb sense 'LEAVE QUICKLY': this verb sense describes a more neutral departure, often of a crowd or group, without the strong sense of suddenness or reluctance. The phrasal verb carries an informal, urgent tone.
常見錯誤
2. to use force, authority, or strong measures to make someone or something leave a
to use force, authority, or strong measures to make someone or something leave a place
The security guard cleared the protesters out of the main lobby.
separable: clear + object + out of [place]
The strong smell of paint cleared everyone out of the room.
Vinícius used a broom to clear the wasps out of the garden shed.
The firefighters cleared the residents out of the burning building.
文法句型
clear + noun phrase + out (of + place)
clear out + noun phrase
用法筆記
Often used for physical expulsion (animals, people) but also for non-physical forces like smells, noise, or strong opinions that drive people away. The passive form is common: 'The building was cleared out by the fire crew.'