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[clam up] <v.>, <slang> To refuse to say anything more; stop talking. * /The suspect clammed up, and the police could get no more information out of him./

[class] See: HIGH-CLASS, SECOND CLASS.

[clay] See: FEET OF CLAY.

[clay pigeon] <n.>, <slang>, <informal> 1. A popular target at practice shooting made of clay and roughly resembling a pigeon; an easy target that doesn't move. * /All he can shoot is a clay pigeon./ 2. A person who, like a clay pigeon in target practice, is immobilized or is in a sensitive position and is therefore easily criticized or otherwise victimized. * /Poor Joe is a clay pigeon./ 3. A task easily accomplished like shooting an immobile clay pigeon. * /The math exam was a clay pigeon./

[clean] See: COME CLEAN, KEEP ONE'S NOSE CLEAN, MAKE A CLEAN BREAST OF, NEW BROOM SWEEPS CLEAN, TAKE TO ONE'S HEELS, also SHOW A CLEAN PAIR OF HEELS.

[clean bill of health] <n. phr.> 1. A certificate that a person or animal has no infectious disease. * /The government doctor gave Jones a clean bill of health when he entered the country./ 2. <informal> A report that a person is free of guilt or fault. * /The stranger was suspected in the bank robbery, but the police gave him a clean bill of health./

[clean break] <n. phr.> A complete separation. * /Tom made a clean break with his former girlfriends before marrying Pamela./

[cleaners] See: TO TAKE TO THE CLEANERS.

[clean hands] <n. phr.>, <slang> Freedom from guilt or dishonesty; innocence. * /John grew up in a bad neighborhood, but he grew up with clean hands./ * /There was much proof against Bill, but he swore he had clean hands./

[clean out] <v.> 1. <slang> To take everything from; empty; strip. * /George's friends cleaned him out when they were playing cards last night./ * /The sudden demand for paper plates soon cleaned out the stores./ 2. <informal> To get rid of; remove; dismiss. * /The new mayor promised to clean the crooks out of the city government./

[clean slate] <n. phr.> A record of nothing but good conduct, without any errors or bad deeds; past acts that are all good without any bad ones. * /Johnny was sent to the principal for whispering. He had a clean slate so the principal did not punish him./ * /Mary stayed after school for a week, and after that the teacher let her off with a clean slate./ Compare: TURN OVER A NEW LEAF.

[clean sweep] <n. phr.> A complete victory. * /Our candidate for the United States Senate made a clean sweep over his opponent./

[clean up] <v. phr.> 1. To wash and make oneself presentable. * /After quitting for the day in the garage, Tim decided to clean up and put on a clean shirt./ 2. To finish; terminate. * /The secretary promised her boss to clean up all the unfinished work before leaving on her Florida vacation./ 3. <informal> To make a large profit. * /The clever investors cleaned up on the stock market last week./

[clean-up] <n.> 1. An act of removing all the dirt from a given set of objects. * /What this filthy room needs is an honest clean-up./ 2. The elimination of pockets of resistance during warfare or a police raid. * /The FBI conducted a clean-up against the drug pushers in our district./

[clear] See: COAST IS CLEAR, IN THE CLEAR, OUT OF THE BLUE or OUT OF A CLEAR SKY or OUT OF A CLEAR BLUE SKY, SEE ONE'S WAY CLEAR, STEER CLEAR OF.

[clear-cut] <adj.> Definite; well defined. * /The president's new policy of aggressive action is a clear-cut departure from his old methods of unilateral appeasement./

[clear-eyed] <adj.> Understanding problems or events clearly; being able to tell very well the results of a way of acting. * /Tom is very clear-eyed. He knows he doesn't have much chance of winning the race, but he will try his best./ * /He is a clear-eyed and independent commentator on the news./

[clear one's name] <v. phr.> To prove someone is innocent of a crime or misdeed of which he has been accused. * /The falsely accused rapist has been trying in vain to clear his name./

[clear out] <v.> 1. To take everything out of; empty. * /When Bill was moved to another class he cleared out his desk./ 2. <informal> To leave suddenly; go away; depart. * /The cop told the boys to clear out./ * /Bob cleared out without paying his room rent./ * /Clear out of here! You're bothering me./ Compare: BEAT IT.

[clear the air] <v. phr.> To remove angry feelings, misunderstanding, or confusion. * /The President's statement that he would run for office again cleared the air of rumors and guessing./ * /When Bill was angry at Bob, Bob made a joke, and it cleared the air between them./

[clear the decks] <v. phr.> To put everything in readiness for a major activity; to eliminate unessentials. * /The governor urged the State Assembly to clear the decks of all but the most pressing issues to vote on./

[clear up] <v.> 1. To make plain or clear; explain; solve. * /The teacher cleared up the harder parts of the story./ * /Maybe we can clear up your problem./ 2. To become clear. * /The weather cleared up after the storm./ 3. To cure. * /The pills cleared up his stomach trouble./ 4. To put back into a normal, proper, or healthy state. * /The doctor can give you something to clear up your skin./ * /Susan cleared up the room./ 5. To become cured. * /This skin trouble will clear up in a day or two./

[clerk] See: ROOM CLERK or DESK CLERK.

[cliffdweller] <n.>, <slang>, <informal> A city person who lives on a very high floor in an apartment building. * /Joe and Nancy have become cliffdwellers - they moved up to the 30th floor./

[clifihanger] <n.>, <informal> A sports event or a movie in which the outcome is uncertain to the very end keeping the spectators in great suspense and excitement. * /Did you see "The Fugitive"? It's a regular cliffhanger./

[climb] See: SOCIAL CLIMBER.

[climb on the bandwagon] See: ON THE BANDWAGON.

[climb the wall] <v. phr.>, <slang>, <informal> 1. To react to a challenging situation with too great an emotional response, frustration, tension, and anxiety. * /By the time I got the letter that I was hired, I was ready to climb the wall./ 2. To be so disinterested or bored as to be most anxious to get away at any cost. * /If the chairman doesn't stop talking, I'll climb the wall./