cleared
cleared — verb
1. To take away things that are blocking, filling, or covering a space so that the
To take away things that are blocking, filling, or covering a space so that the space becomes empty or usable again.
Sofia cleared the dirty plates from the kitchen table after dinner.
clear + object + from + location
Workers cleared the fallen tree off the highway within two hours.
clear + object + off + location
Anjali cleared the old toys out of her son's bedroom before painting the walls.
The snowplough cleared a narrow path along the main road through the village.
Please clear your bags from the seat so that other passengers can sit down.
文法句型
clear + object
clear + object + from/of
clear + object + away
用法筆記
Frequently used with prepositions of source: clear X from/off/out of Y. Common objects are tables, paths, roads, snow, rubble, weeds.
常見錯誤
2. To make a small coughing sound, usually so that your voice will sound clean, or
To make a small coughing sound, usually so that your voice will sound clean, or to get attention before you speak.
Darius cleared his throat nervously before starting his speech at the wedding.
fixed phrase: clear one's throat
The teacher cleared her throat loudly to quiet the noisy students in the back row.
clear + one's throat (for attention)
Talia cleared her throat and asked the manager a question during the meeting.
Tariro kept clearing his throat during the film, which annoyed the people sitting nearby.
文法句型
clear + one's throat
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed pattern 'clear one's throat'. Without 'one's throat', this sense does not occur — the bare verb is not used.
常見錯誤
3. To show that someone did not do the wrong thing they were said to have done, so
To show that someone did not do the wrong thing they were said to have done, so the official accusation against them is dropped.
New evidence cleared Takeshi of stealing money from his employer.
clear + person + of + crime
Élise was cleared of all charges after the witness changed her story in court.
passive: be cleared of all charges
The video footage finally cleared Rachid, who had been blamed for the broken window.
After two years, the judge cleared the doctor of any wrongdoing in the patient's death.
文法句型
clear + person + of + charge
be cleared of + crime
用法筆記
Frequently passive ('be cleared of X'). The object is the person accused; the thing the person did NOT do follows 'of'. Distinct from sense 6 (give permission) — sense 3 is about innocence after an accusation.
常見錯誤
4. If a liquid, the sky, or the air clears, it loses its mist, dust, or particles s
If a liquid, the sky, or the air clears, it loses its mist, dust, or particles so that one can see across or through it again; you can also do this to it on purpose.
The fog over the harbour finally cleared just after sunrise.
intransitive: subject = weather
By noon, the storm had passed and the sky cleared above the mountains.
intransitive: subject = sky
Arjun waited until the muddy pond water cleared before he tried to catch a fish.
Heavy rain cleared the smoke from the burning fields overnight.
- cloud
become cloudy or hard to see through
文法句型
clear (intransitive: of weather/water)
clear + object (of pollution)
用法筆記
Subject in the intransitive use is typically weather (fog, sky, mist) or a liquid (pond, broth). Different from sense 1, where the subject acts on solid objects.
常見錯誤
5. To take a break or do something that helps you stop feeling muddled, in order to
To take a break or do something that helps you stop feeling muddled, in order to recover sharp thinking.
Lakan took a long walk in the park to clear his head.
clear + one's head (after stress)
Mei splashed cold water on her face to clear her mind before the exam.
clear + one's mind (before mental task)
A strong cup of coffee usually clears Trang's thoughts in the morning.
Christopher needed a few minutes alone to clear his head before replying.
- cloud
make thinking confused — 'cloud one's judgement'
文法句型
clear + one's head/mind/thoughts
用法筆記
Object is almost always 'one's head', 'one's mind', or 'one's thoughts'. Often follows a confusing or stressful event. Distinct from sense 4, which is about physical visibility.
常見錯誤
6. To officially allow a person, plan, or vehicle to do something, usually after a
To officially allow a person, plan, or vehicle to do something, usually after a check that everything is safe or correct.
The doctor cleared Ishaan to play football again six weeks after the injury.
clear + person + to-infinitive
The control tower cleared the plane for takeoff at exactly nine in the morning.
clear + thing + for + activity
Maja was cleared by the security team after a short interview at the gate.
The committee finally cleared the new bridge project after a year of safety checks.
文法句型
clear + person/thing + for + activity
clear + person + to-infinitive
be cleared for + activity
用法筆記
Distinct from sense 3: this is permission to do something going forward, not a finding of innocence about something past. Common in medical, aviation, security, and project-approval contexts.
常見錯誤
7. To finish paying every amount you still owe someone, so that no balance remains
To finish paying every amount you still owe someone, so that no balance remains on the loan or bill.
Anthony worked two jobs for three years to clear his student loan.
clear + loan + over time
Omar finally cleared the last of his credit card debt last December.
clear + debt (with completion)
The family sold their old car to clear the medical bills from her mother's surgery.
Amira plans to clear her mortgage by the time she turns fifty.
- owe
still have to pay
文法句型
clear + debt/loan/balance
用法筆記
Object is the amount owed (loan, debt, mortgage, bill, balance), not the lender. Implies the debt is now fully gone, not reduced. Distinct from sense 8 (net earnings).
常見錯誤
8. To end up with a certain amount of money once all taxes, costs, and fees have be
To end up with a certain amount of money once all taxes, costs, and fees have been taken away.
Tyler cleared about two thousand euros from his summer painting business.
clear + amount + from + source
After all the fees, the food stall cleared roughly four hundred pounds at the festival.
clear + amount (after fees)
Constanza clears around three thousand dollars a month after tax.
The small bookshop barely cleared enough last year to cover the rent.
文法句型
clear + amount + after/in + period
用法筆記
Object is a money amount or 'enough'. The phrases 'after tax', 'after fees', and 'after costs' are common. Distinct from sense 7 (paying debt): here you take money home; there you give it away.
常見錯誤
9. When a bank check or payment clears, it passes through the banking system so tha
When a bank check or payment clears, it passes through the banking system so that the money actually moves from one account to another.
The rent check usually clears within three working days of the deposit.
intransitive: subject = check
Sayaka's birthday check from her grandfather finally cleared on Friday morning.
intransitive with time adverbial
The bank cleared the large transfer once the supporting documents arrived.
Ravindra waited until the deposit cleared before paying his suppliers.
- process
broader; not limited to inter-bank settlement
- go through
informal; also used for cards and transfers
- bounce
fail because there is not enough money
文法句型
check + clear (intransitive)
bank + clear + check (transitive)
用法筆記
In the intransitive use, the subject is the payment instrument (check, transfer, deposit). In the transitive use, the bank or clearing system acts on the payment. Common in banking and bookkeeping contexts.
常見錯誤
10. To complete the official checks and paperwork at a port or border so that a ship
To complete the official checks and paperwork at a port or border so that a ship, cargo, or person is allowed to enter or leave.
Marta cleared customs at the airport in less than twenty minutes.
clear + customs (person)
The container of olive oil cleared the port of Marseille last Thursday.
clear + port (cargo)
Indra had to pay an extra fee to clear the shipment of medical supplies.
The cargo ship will not clear until the captain shows the harbour office his papers.
- pass through
less formal; works for any checkpoint
- detain
be held at the border instead of being allowed through
文法句型
clear + customs (transitive)
shipment + clear (intransitive)
用法筆記
Object is usually 'customs', 'the port', 'the shipment', or 'the cargo'. The person doing the paperwork can also be the subject. Sense often appears in shipping and import-export contexts.
常見錯誤
11. To jump or move over something without your body or vehicle touching the top of
To jump or move over something without your body or vehicle touching the top of it.
The young horse cleared the high fence on its first attempt.
clear + fence
Noa cleared the bar at two metres in the high-jump final.
clear + bar at + height
The runner cleared every hurdle except the last one of the race.
Lucía's drone barely cleared the treetops at the edge of the field.
- knock down
hit the bar/fence on the way over
- hit
fail to pass without contact
文法句型
clear + height/obstacle
用法筆記
Object is usually a vertical obstacle: fence, bar, hurdle, treetops, roof. Common in sports (high jump, hurdles, show-jumping) and aviation. 'Just/barely cleared' means by a small margin.
常見錯誤
12. To separate things that have become twisted, knotted, or caught together so that
To separate things that have become twisted, knotted, or caught together so that they can move freely again.
Amihan patiently cleared the fishing line that had wrapped around the boat's propeller.
clear + tangled line + location
The vet cleared the wire fencing from the deer's antlers so it could walk away.
clear + tangled object + from + location
Imran spent an hour clearing the kite strings tangled in the oak tree.
- untangle
more common in everyday speech; same meaning
- free
general; does not specify the object was tangled
- disentangle
formal synonym; nearly interchangeable
- tangle
twist or knot together
文法句型
clear + tangled thing
用法筆記
Rare and slightly formal. Often replaced in everyday speech by 'untangle' or 'free'. The object is usually a string, line, wire, or similar long flexible item.
13. To send a message, order, or signal out from one place to another, especially th
To send a message, order, or signal out from one place to another, especially through an official channel.
The radio operator cleared the urgent message to headquarters at midnight.
clear + message + to + destination
Tendai cleared the trade order to the New York office before the market opened.
clear + order + to + office
The dispatcher cleared a tow truck to the scene of the accident within five minutes.
- receive
get the message at the other end
文法句型
clear + message/order
用法筆記
Rare and dated; mostly found in military, broadcasting, and financial-trading contexts. Often replaced by 'send' or 'dispatch' in everyday English.
14. To delete information that is held in the memory of, or displayed on the screen
To delete information that is held in the memory of, or displayed on the screen of, a phone, computer, or calculator.
Brian cleared the browser history on his laptop before lending it to his cousin.
clear + history (browser)
Press the red button to clear the screen and start a new calculation.
clear + screen (instruction)
Selim cleared all the old photos from his phone to free up some storage.
The shop assistant cleared the memory on the demo phone before selling it.
文法句型
clear + screen/memory/data/history
用法筆記
Object is usually 'memory', 'screen', 'history', 'data', 'cache', or specific items on the device. Different from sense 1 because the 'space' is virtual storage, not physical space.
常見錯誤
15. If a mark, feeling, or condition clears, it slowly goes away until it can no lon
If a mark, feeling, or condition clears, it slowly goes away until it can no longer be seen or felt.
Marco's dark mood slowly cleared after lunch with his sister.
intransitive: subject = mood
The skin rash on Mia's arm cleared within a week of using the new cream.
intransitive: subject = rash, with time
Dewi's headache finally cleared after she drank some water and rested in a quiet room.
The bruise on Piotr's knee cleared in about ten days.
文法句型
clear (intransitive)
用法筆記
Subject is usually a mark on the body (rash, bruise, spot), a physical symptom (headache, congestion), or a mental state (mood, doubt). Distinct from sense 4: that one is about weather and liquids; this one is about marks and feelings.
常見錯誤
16. To sell all of a group of goods, usually at a reduced price, so that none are le
To sell all of a group of goods, usually at a reduced price, so that none are left in stock.
The shop hopes to clear the summer dresses before the new winter range arrives.
clear + stock + before + event
Reuben cleared the last twenty pairs of boots in a one-day flash sale.
clear + remaining stock (with quantity)
The market trader cut prices in half to clear the boxes of ripe peaches.
- stock
bring goods in
文法句型
clear + stock/goods
用法筆記
Object is the stock or goods, not the buyers. Often appears with 'sale', 'discount', or 'before' phrases. Distinct from sense 1: the space-emptying meaning is general; this one is specifically commercial.
常見錯誤
cleared — adjective
1. Describing an area, path, or surface that has had blocking objects taken away fr
Describing an area, path, or surface that has had blocking objects taken away from it.
By morning, the cleared road allowed the school bus to reach the village again.
cleared + noun (road)
The hikers set up their tent on a cleared patch of ground beside the river.
cleared + patch + of + noun
Alessia walked along the freshly cleared path through the snowy forest.
The runway was finally cleared, and the delayed flights began taking off again.
- blocked
still has objects in the way
- obstructed
formal synonym of blocked
文法句型
cleared + noun (path/area/road)
用法筆記
Often pre-modifies nouns naming spaces (path, road, area, runway). The state results from the action in verb sense 1.
2. Describing objects, rubbish, or people that have been taken or moved away from w
Describing objects, rubbish, or people that have been taken or moved away from where they were.
All the chairs were cleared from the hall before the floor was polished.
be + cleared + from + place (objects)
The fallen leaves were cleared from the playground by Friday afternoon.
be + cleared + from + place (debris)
Elena's family belongings were cleared from the old apartment within a single day.
Once the boxes were cleared, Andrés could finally see the wooden floor underneath.
- removed
more neutral; same idea
- taken away
everyday phrasal equivalent
- remaining
still in place
- left behind
not removed
文法句型
be + cleared + from + place
用法筆記
Subject is the thing that has been moved, not the place. Almost always appears with 'from + place'. Distinct from sense 1 of the adjective: sense 1 describes the space that becomes empty; sense 2 describes the things that were taken out of it.
3. Describing someone who has officially been shown not to have done the wrong thin
Describing someone who has officially been shown not to have done the wrong thing they were accused of.
Chidi felt enormous relief once he was cleared of any role in the office theft.
be + cleared + of + wrongdoing
Cleared by the court last March, the businesswoman returned to work the following week.
cleared + by + court (participle-fronted)
Sumin remained cleared of all suspicion even after the second investigation.
The teacher, now cleared, was offered her old job back at the school.
文法句型
be + cleared + of + charge/wrongdoing
用法筆記
Subject is the person; the thing they did not do follows 'of'. Closely paired with the verb sense 3 — this is the resulting state.
常見錯誤
4. Describing a person, vehicle, or plan that has been given the official permissio
Describing a person, vehicle, or plan that has been given the official permission needed to go ahead.
The pilot announced that the plane was now cleared for landing at Heathrow.
be + cleared + for + activity
Nkechi was cleared to return to running six weeks after her ankle surgery.
be + cleared + to-infinitive
The construction plan, now cleared, will begin next Monday morning.
Luca felt nervous even though he was cleared for the new project by his boss.
- approved
general; no safety check implied
- authorized
formal; institutional permission
文法句型
be + cleared + for + activity
be + cleared + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Pairs with verb sense 6. Common in aviation ('cleared for takeoff/landing'), medical ('cleared to return'), and project management.
5. Describing a check or payment that the bank has accepted, so the money is now av
Describing a check or payment that the bank has accepted, so the money is now available in the receiver's account.
Aaron only buys equipment with cleared funds in his business account.
cleared + funds (pre-modifier)
Once the check was cleared, Diya transferred the rent to her landlord.
be + cleared (subject = check)
Sahil waited two more days until the salary payment was cleared by his bank.
The wedding deposit was finally cleared on the day before the ceremony.
文法句型
check + be + cleared
cleared + funds/check
用法筆記
Subject is the payment, funds, or check (not the person). 'Cleared funds' is a common pre-modifier phrase in business writing.