CLEAN, CLEANED, CLEANER, CLEANING, CLEANSE, CLEANSING
ADJECTIVES
1225 — FAIR clean, unsoiled, unstained → obs.
1340 — YFAIRED made clean or pure → obs.
1542 — NEAT clean, free from dirt or impurities → obs.
1579 — MUNDIFYING cleansing → obs.
1602 — POLITE clean; neat, orderly → obs.
1623 — ABSTERSORY cleansing, purgative → obs.
1650 — ABLUTED washed clean, washed away → obs.
1656 — SMEGMATIC cleansing; abstersive; detergent → obs.
1657 — DETERSORY having the quality of cleansing or scouring; tending to cleanse → obs.
1676 — SMECTIC cleansing, abstersive, detergent
1703 — MENSEFUL clean, tidy, neat; in good order → Sc. & Eng. dial.
1706 — MUNDATORY cleansing; having power to cleanse
1807 — CLEANLY clean, free from dirt → Amer. dial.
1814 — CRISP short, sharp, decided in manner; also, clean, neat; clearly defined
1838 — SPANDY-CLEAN very clean → Amer. dial.
1860 — FARRINKLY clean, decent, orderly → Eng. dial.
1870 — DIGHTING cleaning → Sc.
1876 — MUNDITIAL relating to cleansing or purification → obs.
1879 — MENSE clean, decent, respectable; tidy, neat → Eng. dial.
1882 — UP-RED cleaned or tidied up → Sc.
1898 — BESOM-CLEAN clean only on the surface; clean by sweeping though not by washing → Sc. (Bk.)
1905 — TIPLEY clean, tidy, smart; generally used ironically → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1913 — SPAN CLEAN perfectly clean → Amer. dial. (Bk.)
1939 — GABOOTZT cleaned → Amer. dial.
1967 — NET clean, free from filth, etc.; bright, clear → Amer. dial.
1967 — PERNICKETY very clean and neat → Amer. dial.
1975 — NASTY NEAT cleaner than clean → US sl.
1976 — SQUEAKY CLEAN washed and rinsed so clean as to squeak → sl.
1980 — FRESH UNION clean, healthy → US sl.
1999 — CLEAN AS A WHISTLE very clean (Bk.)
2002 — AJAX clean → US sl.
NOUNS
1425 — MUNDIFICATION a cleansing an ulcer, wound, etc.; a being cleansed → chiefly medicine usage, obs.
1425 — MUNDIFYING a cleaning or purifying something → obs.
1543 — ABSTERSION a wiping clean; cleansing, scouring
1623 — SMEGMATIC anything that cleanses → obs.
1633 — MUNDATION a cleansing or washing something; a being cleansed → obs.
1650 — LAVEMENT a cleansing or washing
1657 — DETERSORY a cleansing agent → obs.
1748 — ABLUTION a washing clean; the washing or cleansing of one’s person
1796 — DIGHTING a cleaning, cleansing → Sc.
1859 — MUNDATORY a means or implement of cleansing
1885 — TOILET the cleaning up of a street, a ship, etc.
1886 — SCRINGE a thorough cleansing; a rub; the act of rubbing; the sound caused by rubbing; the act of working with energy → Sc.
1892 — REDD a cleaning, setting in order, tidying; arrangement, settlement → Sc. & Eng. dial.
1904 — RED-UP a cleaning, setting in order, tidying; arrangement, settlement → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1904 — SCOUR a cleansing → Sc. (Bk.)
1905 — THOROUGH-CLEANING a spring-cleaning → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1953 — CAT BATH a hurried or partial cleaning → Amer. dial.
1968 — CAT CLEANING a hurried or partial cleaning → Amer. dial.
2003 — SCRUBOUT a weekly mass cleaning → Antarctica usage
NOUNS, PERSON
1611 — FAYER a person who cleanses → obs. exc. Eng. dial.
1875 — CHAR a woman hired to do general cleaning; a charwoman
1906 — PUTZFRAU in Germany: a woman employed to do domestic work; a cleaner, a charwoman
1948 — MRS MOP a woman who works as a cleaner, a charwoman → UK
sl.
1971 — LINNEN SISTER a cleaning woman → US students’ sl. (Bk.)
1992 — AUNTIE ENA a cleaner → UK rhyming sl.
VERBS
..971 — YCLENSE to cleanse → obs.
1000 — FAIR to appear or become clean or fair → obs.
1205 — FAY→ FEIGH to clean, to cleanse, to polish; to clear away filth, etc. → obs.
1300 — SKIRE to cleanse, to clear or purify oneself → obs.
1303 — SPURGE to cleanse or purify a person, the body, etc.; to free from or rid of impurity; to clear of guilt → obs. exc. Eng. dial.
1340 — FAIR to make clean or good-looking; to beautify → obs.
1425 — MUNDIFY to cleanse or purify a thing
1522 — CAST CLEAN to cleanse → obs.
1541 — ABSTERGE to wipe clean; to cleanse
1547 — LOTE to wash, to cleanse, to purify → obs.
1574 — NEAT to clean → obs.
1587 — FURBISH to clean up anything faded or soiled; to give a new look to; to renovate, to revive
1610 — USH to cleanse; to clear, to empty → Sc. obs.
1612 — ABSTERGIFY to cleanse → obs.
1646 — ABSTERSE to wipe clean; to cleanse → obs.
1653 — DECROTT to clean from dirt, to remove dirt from → obs.
1678 — DIGHT to clean, to tidy, put in order; to sweep, to dust → Sc. & Eng. dial.
1684 — DIGHT to cleanse by wiping → Sc. & Eng. dial.
1728 — DO OUT to clean a room → sl.
1732 — CHAR → CHARE to come in to do cleaning work in a house, shop, office, or institution
1787 — REDD to clean up; to tidy; to set in order, to arrange; to prepare → Sc. & Eng. dial.
1828 — DERSE to cleanse, to prepare → Eng. dial.
1836 — RANGE to clean out; to rinse → Sc. & Eng. dial.
1842 — REDD UP → RED UP to clean up; to tidy; to set in order, to arrange; to prepare → Amer. dial.
1854 — TOW-ROW to clean out; to clear out dirty or disorderly places → Eng. dial.
1859 — MENSE to make clean and neat; to clear up; also, to dress or smarten oneself up → Eng. dial.
1882 — RID to clean up, to tidy, to put in order → Eng. dial.
1889 — MENSEN UP to make clean and neat, to put in order → Eng. dial.
1891 — REPLENISH to cleanse anew; to refurbish → Sc.
1895 — SIDE UP to clean up; to put in order → Amer. dial.
1898 — SCODGY to clean, to scrub, to act as a drudge → Sc.
1900 — FADE-OUT to clean out, to clear out → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1900 — FARM to cleanse, to clean out, to put in order; to empty → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
..20C — GUSSY UP to clean or make neat → Amer. sl.
1904 — SCROIL to clean, to rub down → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1911 — BLAINCH to cleanse → Sc. (Bk.)
1912 — SAND AND CANVAS to clean something thoroughly → sl., orig. naval usage
1913 — MUCK UP to clean → Amer. navy sl. (Bk.)
1930 — OBLIGE to work as a cleaner or charwoman → euphemism
1937 — FRESHEN UP to clean, to smarten, to revive → UK sl.
1966 — GET COUTHED UP to clean up or dress up one’s appearance → US students’ sl. (Bk.)
1968 — DOLLY UP to make more attractive by adding decorative details; to clean up or put in order → Amer. dial.
1974 — CRUMB UP to clean clothes thoroughly, esp. by boiling, so as to rid them of lice; to clean a place → Amer. sl. (Bk.)